Strange Ingénue
by PuppetStrings19
Summary: Opposites attract, even in college. To say their story is easy to tell would be a lie, cause where's the fun in that? Their story is somewhat of a slow burn, but there will definitely be some fun along the way. (AH, and a little OOC. ExB and Rated M for a reason.)
1. Chapter 1: Roommates

**Strange Ingénue**

**A Twilight Fan Fiction**

**By PuppetStrings19**

**Synopsis (Brief):**

**Opposites attract, even in college. To say their story is easy to tell would be a lie, cause where's the fun in that? Their story is somewhat of a slow burn, but there will definitely be some fun along the way.**

**Disclaimer:**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**This story contains underage drug and alcohol use, profanity, discussion of sex and sexually explicit acts. Mature readers only please.**

**This story is Unbeta'ed! Please forgive the occasional grammatical errors.**

* * *

**Prologue**

**Isabella Swan**

I love the way he looks at me. Peering into my eyes, into my soul. His gaze speaks volumes and I feel myself getting lost in the many shades of brilliant green. He studies me, his eyes roaming over the planes and curves of my face.

This is wrong, we both know it, but we can't keep our distance any longer.

I've always been reserved, keeping my thoughts a secret from others, drowning in my own regrets. I've been hurt before… and so has he. But I feel myself getting lost in his presence and the feel of his warmth beside me. I want to open up. I want to share the truth with him, like he has already done with me.

It was all so easy at first. We could talk to each other, confide in each other… until our conversations grew serious and more intimate… more personal. And that's when I found myself pulling away.

But I didn't want to be that girl anymore. I wanted him to know me… the real me.

We were nothing but complete opposites attracting each other, completing each other. What was missing in my heart, he filled with his presence, his words, his touch. His words held a theme to a dream I didn't ever want to wake from. I thought I was dead inside… empty, un-healing, but somehow he found his way into my soul. He was strange, but beautiful and he captivated me.

* * *

**Chapter 1: Roommates**

**Isabella Swan**

"_Red-rover, red-rover, send Jacob Black right over!"_

_With the Forks, Washington rain beating down hard and cold over my head and Rosalie's palm slipping against mine, I couldn't think of a happier moment in my life._

_We locked hands and braced our arms._

"_This is it," Rose said from beside me. "Let's do this, Bella!"_

_I watched as Jacob darted out from the line of boys across from us, his long black hair flowing like a river of oil behind him. He was fast, but small and skinny and so unbelievably beautiful. He was running right at me, right where my hand was locked with Rosalie's. But even then, at the tender age of eleven I knew that it would take much more than Jake's scrawny body to break through my grasp._

_Jake picked up the pace before hurdling his body into our arms. But Rosalie's grasp on me was just as firm as mine on hers and together we forced Jake back away from our 'rope.' The force caused him to stumble and fall hard on his backside._

_Rosalie and I screamed out in triumph, for we had just gained one more person on our team. That was seven summer's ago._

I awoke with a start, my mind still buzzing with thoughts of cold rain and a certain face I hadn't seen in person in years.

The Smashing Pumpkins was playing softly in my ears as I glanced around at the many heads on the full plane. I had never been on a plane before, so I kept my eyes away from the small window to my left.

I checked the watch on my wrist. Just two more hours to go.

I leaned forward and pulled my sketchbook from my bag by my feet. Flipping into the center of the book, I found the last page I had been doodling on. I glanced around the black ink and recognized the few faces I had drawn from the terminal back in Port Angeles. I studied the face of a small girl sitting next to her mother. I had sketched quickly, but I was happy with the way I captured the curves of her face, the light that glowed through the window behind her head.

I made a half smile and then glanced once more around full plane.

I young man caught my eye. He looked to be in his mid twenties. He was handsome, in that clean, white-collar, professional kind of way. He was sitting a few rows in front of me, but his head was turned in my direction where he gazed at me over his shoulder. I took in his hazel eyes and golden hair, a beautiful contrast against his tan skin. And then my eyes drifted down to the snug grey suit he was wearing.

I began to draw.

I drew a few more people once I was done with white-collar guy, until I finally touched down in O'Hare.

The Chicago Terminal was insanely busy with people. The rush of traffic, moving feet, loud yells, and the constant shoving was a bit overwhelming. I wasn't used to being around this many people all at once.

I kept my headphones in as I moved towards the luggage drop off. I only had one bag to pick up, but as I scanned through the many various bags littered over the revolving table type thing, I realized I was in for a challenge.

A sudden deep grumble from beside me caught my attention and I turned to find white-collar guy gazing down at me with cocky smirk on his lips.

"Huh?" I asked, removing one of my ear buds.

"Need help?" he repeated himself.

I frowned confused.

"I'm fine," I said. "Thanks."

I turned back towards the line of luggage to wait.

I caught sight of my burnt sienna Globe-Trotter coming my way and quickly adjusted my full backpack on my shoulders before I reached for it.

I forgot how heavy it was.

I heaved and groaned as I jerked it towards me. But before I got it close enough, strong hands pushed mine aside and pulled my luggage off of the revolving table and onto the ground beside me.

I looked up at white-collar guy again.

"Thanks," I said, with an air of annoyance.

"How about some coffee?" he responded casually.

I watched as he adjusted the cuff of his suit jacket as he stood up.

I sighed. I didn't understand what this guy was getting at. Just by the look of him, I knew I wasn't his type.

He was tall, clean, and expensive looking. He was the type who came from a well off family, who worked in a busy office and drank a glass of scotch with the guys after work on Friday nights.

I was his opposite. I was short with, ripped jeans, band t-shirts and piercings. I wasn't his type in the least.

"I'm gonna have to pass," I said. "I'm already late for a current engagement."

I watched the man's smooth smile falter.

"Thanks for the help though," I added before I bent to grab my luggage bag.

"In case you change your mind," white-collar guy said. And then he handed me his business card and turned away.

_Royce King II._

_Administrative Project & Tax Processing Specialist - Chicago Firm Services._

My gaze flickered down to the phone, fax and email and then the scrawl from a black ballpoint pen at the bottom.

'_I hope to hear from you,_' stared back at me, accompanied by a cell number.

Once outside, I caught sight of a shuttle that said it'll take me to Northwestern University, the Evanston Campus. The drive was slow with the afternoon traffic as I gazed out into the sunlight at the high buildings. Everything was so different from Forks. It was hot and a little humid for September weather, and I mentally scolded myself for wearing so many layers. I should have checked the weather back at home before I left.

Thirty minutes later, the shuttle arrived to a loading zone on the South side just in front of the campus housing structures. The structures were tall and wide and made of brick. It looked very condensed, but who was I to complain? I'd be living here for free for a few months.

I followed a small group of people out of the shuttle, pulling my Globe-Trotter with me, and then I made my way to the entrance hall.

I walked into the building, which was surprising full of students and made my way to the elevator, taking it to the fifth floor.

I found my room easily and pulled my key out of my jean pocket.

The lock clicked and I pushed my new bedroom door open.

"Bella!" Rosalie's voice was a high squeal through the music coming from my headphones.

I jumped. I wasn't even able to register Rosalie before a river of blonde hair fell over my face while long arms engulfed me.

"Rose," I said with a chuckle as I tried to hug her back with my free arm.

"Holy shit!" Rosalie continued, holding me at arms length. "Look at you! You're a fucking adult now. You have boobs!"

I laughed and pulled the ear buds from my ears.

"Yeah, I guess so." I looked Rosalie over. "You're taller than me now."

She laughed and reached for my Globe-Trotter.

"Seven years, Bella," Rosalie said with a laugh. "Seven fucking years. Can you believe it?"

"Not really. I still can't believe that I'm actually here."

I collapsed onto my new bed and met Rosalie's gaze.

Rosalie moved out of Forks seven years ago, only a few days after we played Red-Rover with the boys in town. We had been friends since we were in diapers, and continued to be friends ever since. We never lost touch, not even after her parents dragged her ass to Chicago. We talked on the phone constantly; all through middle school, and all through high school. We kept in touch through phone calls, text messages, Facebook, and Skype. It took very little effort for us to keep in touch, especially because we both actually wanted to, and I really think that being apart made us even closer. It wasn't until I was in my sophomore year at Forks High that Rosalie convinced me to move out to Chicago after I graduated.

She knew how much I hated Forks and how badly I wanted to get out, get away from my family. She convinced me to enroll in Northwestern and even helped me fill out all of my paperwork.

And then… two years later, I was sitting face to face with a girl I hadn't seen in person in so long.

"I'm so happy you're here," Rosalie said in a soft voice. "After all this time. I can't believe I have my best friend back."

I smiled at her. "Do you think things might change? You know, since its not all just virtual networking? I mean we're actually roommates now."

"We'll be fine," she said.

Rosalie helped me unpack some of my clothes and books and posters. We talked about my plane ride to Chicago, which was long, and then I told her about the guy I met at the airport.

"His name is Royce King… the second," I said with an eye roll.

"Is he cute?"

"Yeah. Very. But he's not really my type."

I glanced over at Rose and caught her checking me out.

I knew she was eyeing my dark clothes and tattered converse.

"Just because you guys are different, doesn't mean it wouldn't work out," Rosalie added. "And anyway, he's probably young and probably has money. What the hell is wrong with that?"

I laughed. "You think I should call him?"

"Yes."

I packed my clothes into the single dresser that was meant for me and placed my books on my tiny desk.

I glanced around.

Our living quarters were pretty small. All that really fit was two twin beds, two dressers and two small desks. I was happy I didn't bother bringing anything else with me.

Rosalie and I spent the rest of the day eating, talking and running some errands. There was still a lot I had to do in order to get settled. Paperwork to turn in, a prepaid phone to buy, ID cards to pick up.

But all too soon, the weekend passed and it was the first day of my freshman year in college.

I started off small, packing in a full schedule of GE's before getting started on my major courses. So, Monday morning, I was off to Pre-Cal with a backpack over my shoulder.

The first day went by very fast. The hours flew by while I sat through first day introductions, syllabus reviews, course requirements and expectations. I was already given homework and projects to work on for my first quarter and decided I'd better get on it ASAP.

The people in my classes were pretty friendly. For the most part, everyone kept to themselves. There weren't any awkward stares or curious glances, reactions I was expecting having come from a small town like Forks. On the contrary, nobody seemed to give a shit about anyone else.

I smiled.

Walking back to the dorm rooms at 2pm was miserable. The sun was high and hot and already irritating me. I couldn't remember the last time I broke a sweat from a ten-minute walk outside.

I reached the dorm rooms and took the stairs two at a time.

"I'm already fucking hating this heat," I complained as I pushed our door open.

And then I froze.

I was expecting to find only Rosalie in my room, but when I entered, a stranger's bright green eyes were staring back at me.

"Uh… who-who are you?" I stammered.

The man lounging on Rosalie's bed cocked a crooked smile at me before answering.

"I'm Edward," he said. "Edward Cullen. I'm Rosalie's cousin."

My mind was running on overdrive as I absorbed his words. I couldn't tell if it was because I found a random guy sitting alone in my room, or because I had just come from a sweaty jog up five flights of stairs.

I'd heard of Edward Cullen before, of course, but I'd never actually met him.

"Bella," I responded curtly.

* * *

**Edward Cullen**

"Rosalie's told me a lot about you." I took a second to take in the petite girl before me.

Bella Swan.

She was small with pale skin and long dark hair, and she was wearing a pair of snug fitted jeans and a white Black Flag t-shirt. She was cute, even with the semi-annoyed expression on her face.

"How did you get in here?" she asked, glancing around.

I watched as she hurried to pick up a pair of tossed sweatpants and some socks before throwing them into an empty hamper.

"Rose let me in," I answered. "She went to the bathroom real quick."

I jerked my head towards the door.

Bella nodded and took a seat on her bed.

"How did you like your first day?" I asked conversationally.

My gaze roamed over her face as I waited. I had seen pictures of Bella a few times, but I quickly realized that those pictures didn't do her justice. In the images I had always seen of her, she was wearing a lot of makeup and a phony smile. Right here in front of me, her makeup seemed limited and her hair was left loose, waving softly around her small shoulders. She wasn't putting on a plastic smile for me either.

Her eyes were very big and brown as she glanced around the room and I caught sight of a small silver hoop on her right nostril.

"It was fine," she said, crossing her legs. "It went by fairly quickly."

I glanced at her shoes. Black, beat-up converse with small ink illustrations on them.

"Did you have class today?" Bella continued.

"Yeah, just a couple," I responded. "I have a full day tomorrow though."

Bella nodded. "What year are you in? I remember Rosalie telling me once, but I can't remember what she said." Bella let out a nervous laugh.

"I'm a Junior," I said with a small nod.

"Nice. Almost done then."

"I guess so," I shrugged. "But there's still a lot to do. Believe it or not, the classes keep getting harder."

Bella frowned.

"If you think GE's are bad now, wait till you get to the upper division courses for your major. Not easy."

"What's your major?"

"Biochemistry."

"You want to be a scientist?" Bella's smile was wide and teasing.

I laughed. "I care about heath and the environment and shit," I said with another shrug.

"That's cool."

"What's your major?"

"Creative Writing… or English and Literature… I'm not sure yet."

"You want to be a writer?" I asked.

"Or a teacher or a thinker…" she responded with a wave of her hand.

I smirked looking away.

Just then, Rosalie walked in, loudly munching on a bag of Hot Cheetos.

"I thought we were gonna get food," I said annoyed.

"We are," Rosalie responded with a mouth full of red mush. "Let's go."

My gaze flickered to Bella and I saw her drop her eyes when I caught her looking.

"You hungry?" I asked.

Bella shrugged. "I can get food in the cafeteria. You guys go on without me."

"Na, come on, Bella," Rosalie argued. "I haven't seen you in yeeeeears."

"Liar, we did a video chat last week."

I chuckled and stood up.

"I'm gonna go get Jessica," I said to Rose. "I'll meet you out front."

I left their room and made my way towards the staircase.

As I walked, I thought about my conversation with Bella. She was cool, easy to talk to. Honestly, I was surprised by how easy it was for us. We didn't even know each other, yet conversation flowed effortlessly between us.

I smiled to myself when I thought of her reaction to my major. And then my smile broadened when I thought about her reaction when I asked if she wanted to be a writer.

"Cullen," someone greeted.

I looked up and saw Jasper as he walked passed me through the hall. I assumed he was heading to Maria's room.

I gave him a nod before I turned and climbed up the stairs to the sixth floor.

I got to Jessica's door a second later and knocked.

"It's me," I said to the door.

Jessica opened up and immediately fisted her hands into my shirt, tugging me into her room while her lips crushed roughly against mine.

I laughed through her wet kisses before I kicked the door closed and wrapped my arms around her waist, deepening the kiss.

"You ready for lunch?" I asked as I ran my hands down her ass, bunching her supple skin between my fingers.

She groaned and forced her hips against my now throbbing erection.

"I want you to eat me for lunch," Jessica whined against my mouth.

I smirked and towed her towards her bed, plopping her down before I dropped to my knees in front of her.

"I'll make it quick," I said with a low growl.

I pulled my shirt over my head before I reached for her snug jean shorts. I yanked them off, taking her red panties with them before I spread her legs and began sucking on her inner thighs.

Jessica's hands were instantly in my hair, tugging and kneading while her hips squirmed before me.

"I love when you do that, baby," she whined softly.

I took my time at first, leaving trails of wet kisses along her smooth thighs and the edge of her groin before I finally flicked her bald pussy with the tip of my tongue. She was already so wet.

She groaned loudly and jerked towards me. I ate her out using my tongue and fingers, making her come in record time. When I felt her muscles spasm and clench around my pumping fingers, I picked up the pace and groaned, letting the vibrations of my throat roll down my tongue onto her clit.

"Let's go," I said as I wiped my face with the back of my hand.

Jessica laughed, but didn't make any effort to move.

I checked the time on my phone. I had only been there for seven minutes.

"Don't you want me to suck you?" Jessica moaned softly from the bed.

I glanced down and found her watching me though hooded eyes.

Needless to say, she sucked me dry and we were downstairs ten minutes later.

"So where are we going?" Rosalie asked as Jessica and I stepped out into the bright sunlight.

"Well, do you wanna go to the Unicorn Café or Brothers K?" I asked.

My gaze flickered to Bella, who stood shielding her eyes from the sun. I had my black Ray-Bans on, so I quickly took them off and offered them to her.

She stared at me confused.

"You came all the way from Forks," I laughed. "I don't want you to go blind on your third day here."

She chuckled before hesitantly taking the sunglasses from me. They looked big on her small, heart-shaped face.

"Thanks," she said.

"This is Jessica, by the way," I said, introducing my girlfriend.

Jessica smiled at Bella and gave a small wave.

"Lets go to Brothers K," Rosalie said before turning towards Bella. "It's a bit of a walk, about a mile, but it's worth it."

Bella shrugged and we all set off towards Main Street.

We were only about halfway there when I heard Bella groan from behind me. I was walking up ahead with Jessica, listening to her ramble on about her day.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked.

"Its so hot," Bella said softly. "I'm not used to this heat."

I smirked, but continued my quick pace.

"Why are we walking so fast?" Bella complained again.

I chuckled and turned to peek at her over my shoulder.

She had her hand up again, shielding her face from sun. Even from here, I could see her eyes through the lenses, watching me, and the slight gathering of dew on her forehead and cheeks. I smiled at her, but slowed my pace.

"You're practically running there," she said to me.

"I don't mind the heat," I said with a shrug.

"I can tell. You're not even sweating."

"I'm used to it."

"Man, I'm out of shape," Bella groaned mostly to herself.

Rosalie laughed. "There's a gym on campus," she offered.

Bella didn't respond.

"Edward plays baseball," Jessica said. "That's why he has all this energy. He plays for two leagues."

I laughed when I caught Jessica smiling up at me with admiration.

"Two leagues?" Bella asked. "On campus?"

"Na, off campus," I answered. "I play for a couple of local teams."

"What position?"

"Pitcher."

"Nice." I could hear the smile in Bella's voice.

"You watch baseball?" Rosalie asked amused.

"Is it that surprising?" Bella shot back.

"A little. You just don't look like the type who would watch sports."

I glanced at Bella over my shoulder again.

We arrived to Brothers K soon after and stood in line to take our orders. I smirked when I saw Bella fanning her sweaty face.

I let the girls order before me and then I ordered a sandwich and a latte for myself before I took my number out to the patio where they were all sitting.

When I approached, I saw that Bella had just lit up a cigarette and was sitting with her legs crossed while she took a few drags.

Her cheeks were very pink, but she wasn't sweating anymore. I watched her run her hand repeatedly through her hair and that's when I caught sight of a few faded pink locks in her hair. The color of platinum blonde and pink looked nice, and strange, against the chocolate brown. And then I noticed her exposed ear was covered in many silver piercings. The barbells, hoops and studs glittered mesmerizingly in the sunlight.

Bella caught me looking so I dropped my gaze.

"I like your hair, Bella," Jessica said from beside me. "I've never dyed my hair before."

"Thanks," Bella said with a modest smile.

As she took another drag from her cigarette, I saw that she was also wearing a couple of silver rings on her right hand. One was small and round with a little black stone. The other was a decorative diamond shape with a large round turquoise in the center.

On her other hand, she had a single silver band on her thumb, but her wrist was made up with twisted bands, a watch and a very thin chain. I think there was maybe even a small tattoo on the inside of her wrist.

"Can I have one?" Rosalie asked as she watched Bella take another drag.

Bella used her elbow to push her pack of Marlboro Golds towards Rosalie. I watched Rosalie light up, instantly eager to have one as well.

I hadn't has a cigarette in probably over a year, but watching the two girls before me smoke made me suddenly crave one.

"Can I have one too?" I asked.

Bella met my gaze, looking curious.

"Sure," she said and then she handed the pack to me.

I took one out and lit it with the clear green lighter she had tucked inside.

I took a slow drag and let it out with a smile. It didn't taste as good as I remembered, but it still felt good.

Jessica scrunched her nose at me in distaste.

I winked at her.

* * *

**A/N:**

**This will be a BPOV and EPOV, and I'll be updating about once a week… unless I'm feeling generous.**

**Now that introductions are somewhat out of the way, I can get on with the story. Much like WDEaNB, this story takes place in college, surrounded by college education, activities, drama, and of course, angst. **

**Remember, ****this story contains underage (and some 'of' age) drug and alcohol use, profanity, discussion of sex and sexually explicit acts. Mature readers only please.**

**Till next time. xoxo**


	2. Chapter 2: Brothers K

**Strange Ingénue**

**A Twilight Fan Fiction**

**By PuppetStrings19**

**Synopsis (Brief):**

**Opposites attract, even in college. To say their story is easy to tell would be a lie, cause where's the fun in that? Their story is somewhat of a slow burn, but there will definitely be some fun along the way.**

**Disclaimer:**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**This story contains underage drug and alcohol use, profanity, discussion of sex and sexually explicit acts. Mature readers only please.**

**This story is Unbeta'ed! Please forgive the occasional grammatical errors.**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Brothers K**

**Isabella Swan**

I watched Edward as he took a lingering drag from his cigarette. He was very cute with his stubbly chin and messy bronze hair. Almost too cute for Jessica.

My gaze flickered to her and I watched her give Edward a disapproving look, which he responded to with a teasing wink. I couldn't figure them out. At first I guessed that maybe they were in a relationship, but the more I saw them around each other, the more I assumed that maybe they were just friends.

My suspicions were put to an end when I watched Edward lean down to kiss Jessica on the neck.

She giggled, but swatted the smoke away from her face angrily.

Jessica was pretty with her light brown curly hair and golden skin. She was wearing a crop top with what looked like a bikini type bra underneath and a pair of high waist jean shorts, successfully showing off her flat tummy and shapely legs.

She was sweet and polite, but I couldn't stand her laugh or her halfhearted comments towards anything I said. She kept looking at me too. I didn't miss the way her eyes scrutinized my face and hair. I looked different compared to Rosalie, so I assumed maybe girls like Jessica weren't used to looking at girls like me. But then again, people in Forks weren't used to girls like me either.

Jacob Black's face flashed behind my eyes. Long black hair and a beautiful wide smile decorated with a silver hoop at the edge of his lower lip.

I shook my head with a small smile on my lips.

Conversation between us all flowed easily. Jessica and Edward talked about school and the campus, before Edward began filling me in on some extra curricular activities and cool bars to hang out at. I had to remind him that I was only eighteen, and couldn't attend any of the bars in town.

Edward laughed and shrugged, telling me that there would be some pretty good parties too.

I couldn't keep my eyes off of him all through lunch. I kept looking at his wide shoulders and muscly arms. His light burgundy t-shirt fit him semi snug, especially around his chest and arms. He was kind of big, maybe a little over six feet. And the more I looked at him, the more attractive he became. I found myself laughing at his stupid jokes, or listening intently when he talked to me about baseball. I even started studying his eyes, which were a startling, piercing shade of green, especially in the bright sunlight. I memorized the way they glowed, almost eerily and the way his hair looked when the sun shone through it.

Edward Cullen was quite a sight.

He seemed interested in getting to know me too, asking me questions about Forks or my classes at Northwestern. At first, I thought maybe he was kind of interested in me because he continuously held my gaze whenever he spoke to me. But then I had to remind myself that he had a girlfriend and was probably only asking me questions to be polite because I was his cousin's best friend.

The walk back to the dorm rooms was just as long, but at least the sun had gone down a bit.

I watched Edward from behind, my gaze drifting along his wide shoulders and narrow hips. I even liked the way he walked, and how he took long purposeful strides. His Levis were faded and worn in, but they fit him snug, especially around his thighs and butt. And he was wearing a pair of dark grey Nike AirMax 90 Essentials. I only knew what they were because I used to work at a shoe store back in Forks.

I was quiet the entire walk back to the dorms. I kept looking at Edward, remembering the curve of his back or the exact arch of his jaw whenever I got a glimpse of his profile.

"That was fun," Rosalie said when we arrived to the dorm rooms.

I nodded in agreement just when Jessica quietly invited Edward up to her room. He accepted her invitation and then all four of us made our way through the entrance hall and into the elevator.

I couldn't figure out why I felt awkward standing in the elevator with Jessica and Edward. Maybe it was because I knew they were going upstairs to have sex?

I wasn't exactly uninformed about what couples do during their alone time; I'd had my fair share of relationships too. I wasn't inexperienced, but the idea of it being so casual especially around other people still had me gnawing on the inside of my cheek.

I was standing very close to Edward's right and I could feel the heat of his body radiating onto me. I felt my brow prickle slightly and a heat rise up my cheeks. I didn't know where my sudden nervousness came from, but the feeling startled me slightly. It had been a long time since I'd felt that way towards a guy.

I pushed the feeling down, burring it deep. Those were feelings I didn't want to have towards Edward Cullen.

We reached the fifth floor and I handed Edward back his sunglasses before offering a small wave as I walked out.

"What do you think of Edward?" Rosalie asked quietly as we walked down the hall towards our room.

It was just after 7, but the halls were already pretty quiet.

"He's nice," I shrugged.

I had known about Edward through Rosalie for a while now. Ever since she moved to Chicago, she couldn't stop talking about him. They were cousins, and only a few years apart in age. Her mother is his mother's sister, and so ever since Rose moved to Chicago, she spent almost every weekend with him. He was her best friend, especially when she didn't have me around. He seemed like a cool guy, and he cared about her a lot too.

"I think he likes you," Rosalie said with a knowing smirk. Her teasing expression instantly reminded me of Edward.

I frowned. "Like…?"

"He doesn't really warm up to my girlfriends that quickly," she continued. "I think he secretly thinks a lot of my friends are immature. But he likes you. I can tell. He actually asked you questions and talked to you today. He doesn't usually do that."

"Maybe its cause he knows you like me," I offered, brushing off her statement. "You don't really like your other friends that much."

"True. But he wouldn't have made an effort if he thought it wasn't worth it. Trust me."

I laughed. "What about Jessica?"

We pushed through our door before I made my way over to my bed and sketchbook.

"What about her?" Rosalie asked.

"You know her?"

"Sorta. I mean Edward has been going out with her for a few months now. They seem pretty serious."

"Really…" I commented, not quite a question as I flipped through my book.

"Still drawing?" Rosalie asked as she moved to hover over me.

I nodded and began filling in some detail to Royce King's face.

"Is that him?"

"Yeah."

"You gonna call him?"

"I don't know." I began darkening the background, behind his hair.

"I think you should call him," Rosalie commented.

I watched as she gathered up her toiletries and a change of clothes before she left.

Once Rose was gone, I found myself starring down at Royce's face. I can still remember the way he spoke to me, the interest in his eyes. It reminded me of the way Edward spoke to me, yet… it was different. The way I felt about it was different.

Without thinking, my hand was moving, making lines and curves and hard angles. Before I knew it, I had drawn a quick sketch of Edward Cullen's face. His eyes had the most detail and I was surprised by the accuracy in them. He stared back at me, black on white and unmoving, unseeing… but still… beautiful.

I sighed and snapped my book shut before I reached for my cheap, pre-paid cell phone.

I dialed Royce King's number.

"King," he answered on the fourth ring.

I smiled at the sound of his cool, collected voice. "Royce, hi. This is Bella. You… um… helped me with my luggage?"

I smacked my hand over my forehead, already embarrassed by the uncertainty in my voice.

"Bella," my name rolled of his tongue like a deep caresses. "I'm glad you called."

"Yeah."

"So, how about that coffee?"

"Well, actually, I've already had some coffee," I teased.

He laughed. "How about dinner then?"

"That sounds nice."

"I'm free Friday night," he responded cockily. "Can I pick you up?"

"Sure. I'm staying at Northwestern University…" I paused, letting my words sink in. "I can give you the address."

"That's fine."

I read out the address off of a nearby pamphlet and then said my goodbyes.

"See you Friday, Bella," he said. And then he clicked.

I spent the remainder of the evening trying unsuccessfully not to draw Edward Cullen. I didn't understand why I kept thinking about him. All I knew was that his eyes wouldn't leave my mind.

When Rose came back from her shower I tucked my sketchbook away before grabbing my toiletries. I needed a good bath after the walk today.

As I walked into the large shared bathroom in my robe and sandals, I came across a short pixie like girl with a short black bob. She was standing in a corner smoking from a pipe and blowing smoke into a wet towel.

Her eyes met mine as I walked in.

I didn't say anything to her as I walked into one of the stalls, and did what I could not to acknowledge her while I took my shower.

"You're Rosalie's friend," the girl said from beside me.

I jumped and spun around, gripping my breasts and crotch with my hands.

"What the fuck!" I snapped at her.

"I recognize you," the small girl said. Her eyes were glassy, wide and excited, which made me even more uneasy.

"Do you mind?" I asked angrily. "I'm taking a fucking shower."

"Oh, sorry," she said in surprise. And then she darted out of my shower curtain.

I stared at the white curtain blankly for a moment before I slowly continued my shower. Once I was done, I made my way swiftly back to my room. The small girl was nowhere in sight.

"You wouldn't believe what just happened," I said as I walked back into my dorm.

"What?" Rosalie asked. She was lying on her stomach on her bed, reading through her Chemistry textbook.

"Some crazy girl just walked in on me while I was showering. She knew I was your friend and apparently found it necessary to poke her head into the shower stall to tell me so."

"What did she look like?" Rosalie asked with wide eyes.

I laughed at her expression. "Short, scary. I don't know. Light skin, black bob…"

"Ooohhh," Rose said with a wave of her hand. "That's Alice. Yeah, she's a little weird, but she's harmless."

I snorted and made my way over to my drawer.

"I don't care how harmless she is, it's weird to just intrude when someone is showering."

"I did say she's a little weird," Rosalie defended with a laugh.

"So, do you want to get something to eat or what?"

Rosalie and I made our way to the dorm's cafeteria where we piled our plates with pizza and salads. I told her about my call to Royce and Rosalie congratulated me on my date.

"Are you excited?" she gushed. "What are you gonna wear?"

"No idea," I shrugged. "But does it matter? The guy knows what I look like."

"That doesn't mean you can't dress up a little."

"What classes do you have tomorrow?" I asked, changing the subject.

We spent the rest of the evening talking about class and some guy she's been talking to recently before we went back upstairs and went to bed.

The next couple of days passed in kind of a blur. I hadn't seen Edward since my first day of school, though I didn't really expect to see him either. But it didn't mean I wasn't hoping to see him… or… thinking about him.

Wednesday evening, while I was still in class, I was having daydreams about ways I could bring him up or how I could get Rosalie to want to call him over for a little get together or something. But every time I decided on an excuse, I shot it down knowing that I was just acting like a dumb little girl.

* * *

**Edward Cullen**

"Oh God!" Jessica panted into the pillow. "Oh fuck, Edward!"

I gripped her ass more firmly and forced her legs wider as I pounded into her from behind. Her bed was making an annoying squeaking noise, but I was close to finishing so I tried to push the sound from my mind.

I tilted my head back and picked up the pace. I was close, so close and I knew she was too. I thought about the feel of Jessica's pussy clenching around me, the feel of her naked ass slapping against my pelvis, and the way her tits bounce when she's riding me.

"Baby, I'm close," I panted.

I bent over and used my fingers to circle her clit. That was all she needed. I felt her pussy constrict around me as she cried out into her pillow. She tried to jerk away from me, the force of my thrusts now making her ache. But I didn't let her. Not until I came.

I gripped Jessica harder and forced her to take me deeper. I came hard, exploding into her. I couldn't hold in the deep groan that escaped me as I doubled over, shaking and spent as my muscles spasmed and my mind clouded over with the aftermath of my orgasm.

"Fuck…" I moaned, pulling out and collapsing beside her.

"You're telling me," Jessica panted.

I felt her shift beside me before she turned and curled into my side. I let my arm fall around her shoulders, doing what I could to cuddle her through the haze.

I rubbed my eyes with my thumb and forefinger.

"What's wrong?" Jessica asked in a soft voice.

"Nothing," I said sleepily. "I'm just tired."

"How was the game?"

"Fine. We won."

Jessica nodded, letting the topic drop. She had never been too interested in baseball.

I stayed with her until 8pm, before I finally got up.

"You're leaving?" Jessica asked.

"I'm tired, babe," I said apologetically.

"But it's early. Lauren won't be back until 10."

"I know, but I have homework to get done and work tomorrow after the game."

"You changed your schedule?"

"Yeah."

I pulled on my black boxer briefs and my forest green t-shirt. My jeans came next, followed by my Nike's.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I said.

I grabbed my keys and phone and gave Jessica a quick kiss on the forehead before I left.

I rubbed my palm over my right eye as I descended the stairs. I felt exhausted and in need of a cup of coffee.

I pushed the entrance hall doors open and strode quickly through the lawn, away from the dorm rooms towards campus where I parked my car. And as I walked, I caught sight of a particular petite girl walking towards me.

"Hey," Bella said with a small wave.

I smiled and slowed my pace. "Hey," I said back.

"Coming from seeing Jessica?" Bella asked with a casual smirk.

I laughed and rubbed my hand over my neck, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

"Yeah," I said. "Coming from class?"

"Yup. Four classes in one day, can you believe it?"

"Sounds like you were pretty busy."

"No kidding. I can go for a cup of coffee right now."

Our eyes met and I had the sudden impulse to invite her to get coffee with me.

"Oh, um… I was actually about to go get some."

"Really?" she asked, disbelievingly.

"Yeah. There's a place just five minutes from here—"

"The Unicorn Café," Bella interrupted.

"Yeah. I was about to go get my car."

I watched Bella nod as she glanced around, probably considering my invitation.

"I'd rather go to Brothers K again, actually," she said.

"Sure," I gestured towards campus. "Do you…?"

"Yeah," Bella said quickly. "I'll go."

I laughed at our awkward exchange and started walking towards campus again with Bella at my side. I felt slightly guilty for a split second as I walked beside her, but I told myself it was perfectly normal to take a girl to get coffee as friends. Surely Jessica wouldn't be upset.

"Is your bag heavy?" I asked, glancing over at Bella. I made sure to keep my pace slower this time as we walked.

"A little, but its not bad."

I reached my hand out, offering to take it.

Bella hesitated for a moment before she handed it over.

I shrugged it onto my back.

We walked mostly in silence until we reached the student parking lot.

"It's getting a little colder at night now," Bella commented.

"Yeah, a little," I smiled. "It is almost Fall, after all."

Bella chuckled.

I walked towards my Volvo, which sat buried in the mass of other student's cars. I unlocked the doors with my key button and then opened the passenger door for Bella before I made my way over to the driver's side.

I shrugged off her backpack and tossed it into the back seat as I climbed in and started the car.

"You like the Smashing Pumpkins?" Bella asked in surprise.

"Sure," I said.

Rotten Apples was playing on my CD player.

"I love them," Bella gushed. "Sorry, I just… I don't know, assumed you were more into contemporary popular music."

"The Smashing Pumpkins were popular once," I teased.

She chuckled again. "I have this album on my iPod. I listened to it on repeat on my way here."

"That's obsessive."

She chuckled again at my lame joke.

I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye, but she was staring out of the window now, gazing at the glittering buildings as we drove through the city.

We got to Brothers K in ten minutes and I parked just behind the shop.

"What are you getting?" I asked as I eyed the coffee menu.

"What did you get last time?"

"The latte?" I asked confused.

"No, you were eating something."

"Oh." The line moved so I stepped towards the register. "The New York Bagel sandwich and two Café Latte's, please."

"I can get that," Bella said, pulling some cash from her pocket.

"Its fine," I said as I handed my card to the Barista.

We took our number and went outside to the patio.

"I like it here," Bella commented as she looked through the glass at the small family siting by the window. And then her gaze shifted down Main Street.

I looked with her. There were people on bikes, walking their dogs, chit-chatting as they walked past us. Evanston was pretty lively around here, especially after dark.

"There's a place, about a mile south of here," I pointed towards Grove Street, "called the Keg. They have pool and beer pong and shit. Its pretty cool if you're looking for a good time, but pretty uncivilized." I laughed.

She nodded.

I was trying unsuccessfully to keep my eyes off of her, but I couldn't. Every time I looked up my eyes would meet Bella's.

She was very pretty even when she looked at me with that unfathomable expression. My gaze flickered to the snug black V-neck she wore. I could kind of make out the outline of her bra beneath her thin blouse, even in this light.

"I like your hair," she said. I watched her eyes dart up and over my face.

I ran my hand through my hair. "I like your hair too," I said.

She giggled and ran her hand through her hair too. "I used to have green hair."

"Green?"

"Yeah, all of it. I bleached it all out and dyed it green." Her smile was wide and excited.

I laughed. "I'd like to see what you look like with green hair."

"Ugly. A lot of my friends didn't like it."

"I don't believe that," I said with a shake of my head. "You wouldn't look ugly."

"I think Rosalie has a picture of me. I'll show you some time."

I nodded and looked away.

A guilty feeling kept crawling its way back up my spine, and though I told myself I wasn't doing anything wrong, the guilt I felt was proving otherwise.

I sighed and rubbed my knuckles into my eyes.

"Something bothering you?" Bella asked softly.

I glanced up at her.

Bella's expression as relaxed and sympathetic… yet somehow I felt that maybe she was waiting for something.

"Just tired," I said. There were so many things I was feeling at that moment, but none of them I could put into words.

I watched as she reached for one of the brown napkins before pulling a pen from her back pocket. She began to draw.

Her gaze flickered to me every little while as I watched her. But again, I couldn't look away. Sometimes I felt embarrassed when she caught me looking, but it didn't stop me from holding her gaze.

"So I have a date on Friday," she said suddenly.

I dropped my gaze and began fiddling with my own napkin.

"A date?" I asked.

"Yeah, can you believe it? His name is Royce and I met him at the airport in O'Hare. He's cute and he gave me his business card."

"His business card. Wow. He sounds like quite a guy."

"I guess we'll see." She didn't seem bothered by my sarcasm.

"What are you drawing?" I asked, changing the subject.

She smirked before turning the napkin to face me.

My own face stared back at me; disheveled hair and all. I cracked a smile and leaned forward to grab it. My eyes stood out the most in her quick, crosshatched doodle. And the look in my eyes was… startling. I could see the slightest hint of what looked like longing in my gaze. I felt my smile slip.

Our coffee's and her sandwich came soon after.

"So Edward," she said around her bite of food. "Tell me more about yourself."

"Like what?"

"Got any tattoos?" She smiled, rubbing my hands together.

I laughed. "No. No tattoos. What about you?"

I didn't miss the way her eyes quickly scanned my body.

"Some," she teased.

I watched her cut off a third of her bagel sandwich before handing it to me.

"Really? How many?" I shoved the third into my mouth.

"A few."

"Where?" I felt my eyes light up with interest and I forced myself not to scan her body for clues.

"Mmm… here," she said, pointing to her left shoulder blade. "And… here," she pointed to her wrist. "And… here."

My gaze followed her hand as it drifted to her right hip.

I swallowed thickly and took a sip of my coffee.

"What are they?" I kept my eyes on the table between us.

She adjusted her bracelets before showing me her wrist.

It was small, just a few words. A phrase I recognized from a Kurt Vonnegut book.

"Ah…" I said with a nod. "Kurt Vonnegut. A favorite of yours?"

She nodded. "And I have a bird in a cage on my back. It's cute and has some flowers around it."

I nodded, waiting expectantly for her to continue.

She didn't say any more.

I wanted to ask her what was on her hip, but wondered if maybe it would be too forward of me. I hesitated.

The look on Bella's face was… peculiar. Like she was testing me or something. Waiting.

"What about your hip?" I asked quietly.

"Very few know what I have down there," she said seriously. "I can't tell you."

I laughed, raising my hands and tying my fingers behind my head. "Fair enough."

I waited for her to finish her meal before we left the small café.

The drive back to the dorms was quiet and electric. I couldn't tell what the tension meant, but all I knew was that my mind and body were hyper aware of every breath she took and every move she made. I was normally very comfortable in my own skin, but there was something about Bella that made me nervous.

"Thanks for the sandwich," she said softly when I pulled up to the dorms.

"You're welcome," I said before wishing her a good night and pulling away from the curb.

I caught a glimpse of her in my rearview mirror, watching me go.

* * *

**A/N:**

**I was feeling generous after all. lol**

**Till next time. xoxo**


	3. Chapter 3: Royce King

**Strange Ingénue**

**A Twilight Fan Fiction**

**By PuppetStrings19**

**Synopsis (Brief):**

**Opposites attract, even in college. To say their story is easy to tell would be a lie, cause where's the fun in that? Their story is somewhat of a slow burn, but there will definitely be some fun along the way.**

**Disclaimer:**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**This story contains underage drug and alcohol use, profanity, discussion of sex and sexually explicit acts. Mature readers only please.**

**This story is Unbeta'ed! Please forgive the occasional grammatical errors.**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Royce King**

**Isabella Swan**

I stood alone on the curb in front of my dorm for a moment and watched Edwards silver Volvo disappear around the corner.

There were so many thoughts swirling around inside my head. Thoughts about me, about Edward, about Jessica. I liked Edward's company and I wasn't expecting anything more than friendship, but I couldn't help but wonder if he felt the same.

Edward had seemed… upset while we were having coffee together. Like he was maybe regretting inviting me out.

I frowned at the thought before I turned and walked into the dorm.

"Where were you?" Rosalie asked as I stepped in.

She was at her computer, scrolling through Facebook while listening to a familiar playlist.

"Is it emo hour?" I asked with a smile.

Rosalie threw her head back in a loud laugh.

I hovered over her shoulder and changed the song. Her playlist was filled with songs that she and I had put together while I still lived in Forks.

"Aww, Bella," Rosalie hummed.

Stone Temple Pilots', _Creep,_ was the song I chose.

"Forward yesterday, makes me wanna stay…" Rose sang softly.

"What they said was real, makes me wanna steal…" I sang with her.

When Friday finally came, Royce called me following up our plans for our date. He told me he would be at the dorm at 7 o'clock. I agreed and hung up before rushing into the showers. I shaved everything… everything, and took a little extra time to blow-dry my hair and do my makeup. I kept it simple. Light browns and golds on my eyes and a soft blush on my cheeks. No lipstick today.

But when I was dressed, I was met with a loud disapproving groan from Rosalie.

"That's what you're wearing?" she said in disgust.

I glanced in the mirror. I had on a pair of dark blue jeans, a red and white polka dot sleeveless button-down and a snug gray blazer and converse.

"What's wrong with it?" I asked.

"You're going to dinner. You can't wear that."

"Hey," I defended. "This guy knows what I look like, alright? This isn't a blind date. He wouldn't take me to some posh restaurant."

"Want a bet?" Rosalie challenged. "You should at least wear a dress. You have plenty of them."

"It's too late to change."

Rosalie held up two of her hands as if to say, _I give up_. I chuckled and grabbed my phone, wallet and key before leaving.

I trudged down the stairs feeling a little annoyed, and once I was outside I smacked right into a tall figure.

"Whoa!" I gasped, stunned. "I'm sorry!"

I looked up and saw that it was Edward.

He chuckled as he reached out to steady me.

I giggled back, pushing my hair out of my face.

"You look nice," he said, glancing me over.

"Go tell Rosalie that. She just made me feel like the ugliest, ill-dressed person on the planet."

"Don't listen to Rose," Edward soothed.

A low honk interrupted us.

I glanced up and saw that it was Royce sitting in his car, waving at me to approach.

"There's my date," I said with a smile.

Edward frowned. "He's not even gonna open the door for you?"

As if on cue, Royce pushed open the passenger door.

I chuckled, but Edward was still staring at the car.

"Well, see you later." I turned and walked casually towards Royce King.

"Be careful, Bella." Edward's tone was deep and serious.

I gave him a thumbs up before climbing in.

"Who's that?" Royce asked, eyeing Edward on the curb.

"He's a friend."

"Ex-boyfriend?"

"No. Just a friend."

Royce's gaze flickered to me. I watched him take me in slowly, his eyes roaming over my face and then body, eating me up.

"You look nice," he said.

I smiled, suddenly at a loss of words.

Royce pulled away from the curb with a soft squeal. He drove for a while in silence before he finally turned to me.

"Wanna go back to my place? I was planning on making you dinner."

"Sure," I agreed. I felt a little nervous, but I welcomed the attention.

He drove a short ways, out of Evanston and into Chicago. We parked outside of his Cando and then climbed out of his BMW.

"This way," Royce said with a smirk.

We climbed some stairs and entered a metal door. And then took an elevator up a few flights before walking down a quiet hall.

His condo was clean and elegant. The walls were a soft tan and the ceiling was arched wood painted white. He had one sofa and one chair, both black leather. His dining room-kitchen area was fully stocked and clean. The entire space was not intimidatingly big, but not too small either. It was perfect for a well off, assumed bachelor.

"So, Royce King," I said as I glanced around. "What are you gonna make me?"

"Whatever you like," Royce offered arrogantly.

I turned to meet his gaze.

"Can I take your coat?" he asked, holding out his hand.

I shrugged out of my blazer, offering it to him.

He hung it up on a coat rack by the door.

"How about some pasta?" Royce offered.

I watched him move towards the kitchen. He was tall and lean, obviously in shape, but not too bulky. He was wearing a pair of dark jeans and a casual white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

"Pasta sounds great," I said.

Royce got to work instantly.

He pulled out some herbs and butter and got to work on a white wine cream sauce. Then he cooked some shrimp and angel hair pasta. I offered to help and prepared a light salad for the side.

"Want a glass of wine?" he asked as the shrimp cooked in the garlic sauce.

I watched him reach for two wine glasses.

"Sure," I said. He didn't ask about my age, so I didn't tell him.

He poured me a decent serving and I took a sip. It was crisp and good with very little after taste.

"Good?" he asked, eyeing my expression.

"Very," I said with a smile.

"How long have you been going to Northwestern?" he asked conversationally.

He leaned against his counter, studying me.

"A week," I answered honestly.

"Are you a transfer?"

"No. I um… I just started my first year, actually."

He hesitated for a moment, his wine glass pressed to his lips before taking a sip. His eyes were a nice shade of greenish-brown and his skin was smooth and clean-shaven, a lovely shade of amber.

"How old are you, Bella?" he finally asked.

I licked my lips, accidentally drawing his attention to my mouth. I thought for a moment.

"Eighteen."

His gaze flickered from my mouth to my eyes and back again. "Eighteen?"

"Yeah."

He moved towards me. "Maybe you shouldn't be drinking this then." He reached for the half empty class in my hand.

I pulled away with a teasing smile. "Come on, Royce. We're in your home. What's the worse that can happen?"

He let out a deep chuckle and raised is eyebrows as if to say, _you never know_.

"What happened? Tell me everything!" Rosalie squealed, just as I stepped through the door.

"Shh!" I hushed as I ran to clasp my hand over her mouth. I was instantly in a fit of giggles.

"Tmmm memm!" she tried to say under my hand.

I laughed and glanced at her bedside table. It was just after two in the morning.

"I'll tell you," I said. "But you have to be quiet. We'll get in trouble."

Rosalie rolled her eyes before pushing my hand away from her mouth.

"You smell like shrimp and booze and man," she laughed.

"What do you wanna know?"

"Everything!"

"No, Rose. Ask me questions and I'll answer if they're not… too personal."

We both burst out into a fit of laughter.

"You slut!" Rosalie said in a loud whisper.

"Shut up. I didn't have sex with him, alright?"

"What did you do then?" Rosalie's eyes were wide an eager.

I laughed. "We just… kissed. A lot. But we didn't have sex, I promise."

"Did you juuuust kiss or did you guys, you know? Do anything else."

I chucked and buried my burning face into my hands.

"I knew it!" Rose said triumphantly. "I fucking knew it. You couldn't keep your hands off, could you?"

"Hey," I defended. "He couldn't keep his hands off me."

"Well, how did it happen?"

"I don't know. It… started with some flirting and then some caressing. And then we started kissing on his couch. We somehow ended up on his bed, but before it got too serious, I stopped him."

"Do you like him?" Rosalie asked seriously.

"I do," I said. "He's really nice to me and cute and has an amazing body."

"How old is he?"

"Twenty-six," I said with a slight cringe.

"He's almost ten years older than you, Bella," Rosalie said with a frown.

"I know, but so what? I'm young, he's young. I'm just having fun right now, Rose."

She sighed and leaned back onto her bed. "I need a guy."

I laughed and sat up to remove my jeans and shirt before pulling on a large t-shirt and climbing into bed. I didn't even care that I didn't wash up first.

"I'm a little buzzed," I said.

"I can't believe he got you drunk."

"He didn't get me drunk. He made me dinner and I had a couple glasses of wine with it."

"He wasn't too forward, was he?" Rosalie asked seriously. "I mean you're only eighteen, Bella."

I felt my smile fade. "I know what I'm doing Rosalie."

"I know, but… you've been in relationships like this before. I don't want you to regret anything."

"I never regret anything."

We were silent after that and soon I heard Rosalie's soft breathing turn deep and lingering. I knew she was asleep.

But I couldn't sleep.

My mind was flooded with thoughts of my evening with Royce.

I thought about the way Royce felt above me when he moved, grinding his hips into me, caressing me, sucking and kissing my skin. His hands moved purposely over my body, squeezing my hips, my sides, my breasts. He didn't hesitate once all through the night. It wasn't until his hand was in my pants, teasing and caressing that I finally told him I didn't want to have sex just yet. He seemed a little put out, but our kissing and heavy petting continued anyway.

I sighed and turned over.

When I awoke the next day, I felt exhausted and a little hung over. I didn't sleep much and when I glanced at Rosalie's alarm clock, I saw that it was only 6 in the morning.

I didn't try to go back to sleep though. I couldn't.

I dressed quietly in jeans and a t-shirt before making my way to the bathrooms. I washed up and pulled my hair back into a messy bun before I returned back to my room. I grabbed my backpack, dumping out my school contents and replacing them with my sketchbook, some pencils and pastels, my wallet, cigarettes, key, and phone. And then I left.

Outside, it wasn't as cool as I was hoping, even though it was 6 in the morning.

I walked to the Unicorn Café and ordered a large black coffee, and then I walked a little ways away from campus. There was a section, a mound of green grass with some trees overlooking Lake Michigan.

I approached and took a seat against the tree. It was still quiet out; most of the city was sleeping in on their Saturday morning. I glanced around at the cars and the few people I saw. And then I pulled out my sketchbook and cigarettes.

I lit one up and took a long lingering drag. I felt troubled, but I couldn't figure out why.

I took a sip from my coffee. It was good, but I liked the Brothers K coffee better.

I began to draw.

I started off slow; doing gestures of people I saw jog by, some trees and boats and buildings.

Then my hand drifted and I started drawing eyes. Pale eyes. Knowing eyes. I smiled as the face around the eyes began to form. Edward. He was easy for me to draw now. I already knew the lines of his face. I hadn't seen him much, but when I did see him, I studied him. I memorized the way the sun glinted off his hair, the way the edge of his lips curl when he finds something amusing. He had this way of looking at me that made my insides melt.

I sighed, taking another drag.

I missed him already.

I thought about our conversation the other night, when we were at the Brothers K. He had this way of talking to me and looking at me that made me feel… I don't know… special. He gave me his full attention and seemed interested in the things I had to say.

I returned back to the dorm rooms a few hours later. As I took the steps two at a time, a small voice suddenly caught my attention.

"Bella."

I glanced up and saw Jessica standing at the top of the stairs. She was dressed in yoga clothes and Nikes, obviously on her way out for a jog.

She smiled down at me.

From the sight of her, the sketchbook in my backpack suddenly felt like a pile of bricks. I blushed knowing that I had just drawn a million different angles of her boyfriends face in my book.

"Were you out all night?" Jessica asked with a knowing grin.

"No. I just um, got back from getting some coffee." I held up my almost empty coffee cup.

"Oh." She looked almost upset. "Well, see ya. I'm about to meet up with Edward for a jog."

"Cool," I said, moving past her.

"You can come if you'd like," she added. "It'll be fun."

"No thanks. I don't exercise much."

"But you said you need to start," Jessica pushed. "It'll be fun."

I frowned. "No thanks," I said a little more sternly. "But have fun anyway."

I turned and climbed the rest of the stairs.

Back in my room, I found that Rosalie was already out too, probably at the gym.

* * *

**Edward Cullen**

"I ran into Bella earlier," Jessica panted as she jogged beside me.

I glanced over at her, curiosity suddenly spiking inside of me. "Oh yeah?"

"I think she was out all night. She was heading into the dorms while I was heading out."

I nodded.

"She said she just went to get a cup of coffee, but her hair was a mess and she had a backpack on. I think she stayed over some guys house." Jessica's voice was laced with accusations.

"Or maybe she really just went to get a cup of coffee."

In my peripheral, I saw Jessica's head snap towards me. "Sorry, did I offend you?"

"No. What do you mean?"

"I mean you sound defensive."

I glanced down at her. I didn't even bother trying to hide my frown. "Okaaay…"

We finished our lap around campus and headed back towards her dorm.

"Wanna come up?" Jessica asked as she wiped sweat from her brow.

"Not right now." I twisted, stretching my back.

"Why not?"

I shrugged. "I've got shit to do."

"You're being weird. What's up with you?"

"Nothings up. Why do you keep asking me that?"

"You're acting weird," Jessica said, gesturing to me as if it was all very obvious.

"Baby, it's the beginning of our Fall quarter, plus I have work and baseball. I'm just busy."

I watched Jessica's mouth tilt into a small frown.

I moved towards her, wrapping my arms around her small shoulders.

"You're the one who's being weird," I teased. I kissed her twice on the forehead before moving away. "I'll call you later."

She nodded, watching me go.

I drove back to my apartment and spent the rest of the afternoon getting started on some homework.

Later that evening, when Mike and Tyler got home, they barged into my room and urged me to come out for the night.

Apparently, Jasper and his gang of frat boys were throwing an early Fall quarter celebration at the Keg. They told me that a lot of freshmen were going so I assumed they were mostly just interested in finding some desperate girls to hook up with.

I laughed.

"Your cousin is going," Mike said. "I called her earlier."

"Why are you calling Rosalie?" I asked annoyed.

"She's cute."

"Yeah, and she'll never go for you. Trust me." I kept my gaze on my paper as I took notes on microorganisms.

"Well she has a pretty cute roommate. I met her yesterday."

I glanced up at Mike's smug expression.

"What time are you guys going?" I asked.

"At around 9. Maybe 10."

I looked away indifferently. "I'm in."

After pre-gamming for an hour in our apartment, we left to pick up Jessica and her roommate Lauren before heading over to the Keg.

By the time we got there, it was already packed with people. There were two bars, an upstairs and a downstairs. Upstairs there was a patio and better seating, but downstairs was where the jukebox was.

I glanced over at Mike and saw him point to the ceiling.

I gave him a nod before draping my arm around Jessica and leading her towards the stairs.

The music was loud and there was a game of beer pong going on in the corner. The screams coming from that corner were deafening. I caught sight of Jasper Whitlock standing in the crowd. He gestured for me to come over, so I led Jessica towards him instead.

"Hey man!" Jasper yelled above the music.

I shook his hand and gave him a brief hug.

"How's the scouting going?" I asked. I knew Jasper and his buddies were throwing this party to rally up new members.

"Eh," Jasper said with a shrug. "Hard to tell. Everyone's already pretty drunk."

I watched Jasper's eyes shift to Jessica beneath my arm.

"Hey Jess?" Jasper said with a charming smile.

They shook hands, but Jessica kept quiet. I took that as a sign to say goodbye.

"We should hang out sometime," I said to Jasper. "I'll call you."

"Yeah," Jasper agreed. "You still playing ball?"

I nodded. "We need a Left Fielder. Riley quit."

"Hell yeah," Jasper said, shaking my hand again. "When?"

"Wednesday. 2pm."

"I'm there."

I gave Jasper one final nod before I turned back towards the stairs.

Upstairs we headed straight to the bar. I ordered two Hefs that were on tap and gave one to Jessica.

Mike and Tyler were at the bar too, talking to Lauren. I knew Tyler was into her even though he tried to hide it.

"There's Rosalie," Jessica said in my ear. She grabbed Lauren's hand and led her towards the outdoor patio.

From where I stood, I could see Bella. She was wearing a dark red and black floral dress that fell to her mid thigh. She was also wearing a grey blazer over it. Her hair looked a little more done up, curled and flowing around her face and shoulders.

I followed Mike and Tyler towards the patio.

Bella's gaze suddenly flickered to me and wide smile spread across her face. I laughed and offered a casual wave.

As I approached, I saw that her eyes were lined with black eyeliner that darted up in the corners, which made her eyes look even bigger. And then my gaze traveled along the thin metal zipper that ran down the front of her dress. She was also wearing her black converse.

I met her gaze and smiled at the ring twinkling on her nose. I liked the way she looked. It was different from most girls I knew, but it suited her well.

Mike and Tyler gave Rosalie a couple of polite hugs before introducing themselves to Bella. She smiled at them and shook hands.

Mike stayed by Bella's side for a long time and every once in a while I would overhear their conversation. He was asking her a lot of generic questions about her major, her favorite color, what type of music she liked. He was obviously trying to get to know her and make a good impression.

At one point, I saw him lift his sleeve to show her the tattoo on his shoulder. She laughed and touched it, but didn't show him the one on her wrist.

I smirked, secretly happy that she wasn't falling for his games.

"Having fun?" I asked Bella once Mike left to dance with some random girl.

She rolled her eyes and took a sip from her imported bottled beer. I didn't ask how she was getting them.

"You?" she asked me once I didn't comment.

I shrugged.

"I got coffee at The Unicorn," she said, moving closer to me.

I nodded.

"Its not as good as Brothers K."

"It really isn't," I agreed with a shake of my head. "I'm happy you said that. Jessica thinks I'm crazy."

She giggled and turned to look at Jessica.

Jessica was now talking to another group of girls. They all had on short tight dresses and high heels. Very different from how Bella was dressed.

"Does your girlfriend drink coffee often?" Bella asked.

"Do Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino's count?"

Bella chuckled into the neck of her beer. "Only if Caramel Frappuccino's do."

"We are so cool with our black coffee's and Café Latte's," I teased.

She rolled her eyes at my sarcasm.

We stayed outside most of the time, talking and drinking. Bella had her cigarettes with her, so occasionally I'd ask her for a smoke, as did Rosalie.

"You're becoming a smoker," I accused Rose, seconds before I took a drag.

She laughed and tapped her beer against mine in cheers.

"It isn't going to affect your performance is it?" Rosalie teased.

I frowned in confusion.

"On the field," Rosalie added.

I rolled my eyes.

The evening at the bar didn't last long however because many of the kids under twenty-one started getting into drunken brawls, which just about pissed everyone off. So by 2 am, we all called it a night and went our separate ways.

When I pulled up to the dorms to drop Jessica and Lauren off, Jessica turned to me as she pushed the passenger door open.

"Are you gonna come back?" she asked in a whiney, annoyed tone. She wasn't ever discrete about me sneaking into her dorm room at night, which pissed me off.

"I have to drop the guys off."

Jessica's gaze flickered to Mike and Tyler in the back seat. They were both on their phones, doing what they could to give me some privacy.

"So?" she asked.

"What about Lauren?"

"She doesn't care."

I shook my head and looked away.

"I can go to your place," Jessica offered.

"Fine, lets go."

Jessica closed her door and we drove back to my place in silence.

Once in the apartment, Mike and Tyler started up some music and opened a few beers. I stayed up for a bit to join them, but a half hour later, Jessica came out of my room dressed in one my t-shirts, begging me to come to bed.

"Why do you put up with it?" Tyler whispered to me.

"What do you mean?" I asked before chugging the rest of my beer.

"You don't want her here. Why are you still with her?"

My gaze flickered to Mike who sat perched on the kitchen counter watching me.

"Cause I do want her here," I said.

I placed my beer down on our small kitchen nook and turned towards my room.

Jessica was in bed, but even in the dark I could see that she was still awake and watching me.

I pulled off my shirt and jeans and climbed into bed behind her, nuzzling my face into the back of her neck. She smelled like flowers and perfume and a little like beer. I shifted a few times, rubbing myself against her butt. She shifted too, tilting her head so that my lips and chin grazed her neck.

I kissed her a few times while my hands roamed over her stomach and thighs.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Till next time. xoxo**


	4. Chapter 4: The Den Bookstore

**Strange Ingénue**

**A Twilight Fan Fiction**

**By PuppetStrings19**

**Synopsis (Brief):**

**Opposites attract, even in college. To say their story is easy to tell would be a lie, cause where's the fun in that? Their story is somewhat of a slow burn, but there will definitely be some fun along the way.**

**Disclaimer:**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**This story contains underage drug and alcohol use, profanity, discussion of sex and sexually explicit acts. Mature readers only please.**

**This story is Unbeta'ed! Please forgive the occasional grammatical errors.**

* * *

**Chapter 4: the Den Bookstore**

**Isabella Swan**

Over the next week, I spent a lot of my time after school either doing homework in the dorm study hall, sitting by the tree at Lake Michigan, or out looking for a job. But when Sunday finally came around, I decided to give myself a break and visit a nearby used bookstore that a girl from class told me about, only a short walk away from the Brothers K.

So, after getting up fairly early, I dressed and packed my backpack with my usual essentials and made my way to Brothers K at around 11 o'clock.

I ordered my usual large black coffee before walking the few blocks to the Den Bookstore.

The walk was fairly short, only about ten minutes, and also pretty quiet. I soon realized that many people didn't go out on Sunday mornings, especially not before noon.

From the outside the bookstore looked small and practically unnoticeable. It was made of brick and sandwiched between a shoe store and modest bridal gown shop.

I smirked and went in.

A little bell and a red and brown carpet invited me inside, followed by a small table with various stacks of books and a sign that read _50% Off_. Beyond that I could see rows and rows of towering bookcases. The smell of paper and wood chips filled my nose and I smiled. Definitely the familiar smell of an old bookstore.

I walked a few feet in and turned to see someone sitting at a small register behind an old mahogany desk.

Edward.

He was leaning back in an old green computer chair with his feet up on the desk, reading.

"Hey," I said with a surprised gasp.

His eyes flickered up to me and I watched as recognition flashed across his face, soon followed by confusion.

"Hey…" he drew out the word while he sat up. "What are you doing here?"

"Um, looking for books." I gestured towards the bookcases in front of us.

"Right," he laughed. "How'd you hear about this place?"

"A girl, Angela Webber from my Econ class told me about it."

"Ah," Edward said with a knowing smile. "Angela, yeah. She comes in here all the time."

"She's sweet," I offered.

"And shy."

We both chuckled at that.

"So… you work here," I said conversationally.

"Yeah." I watched Edward rub the back of his neck, a gesture I was beginning to think he did out of nervousness or embarrassment.

"That's cool. I'd rather work at a bookstore than a shoe store."

"You work in a shoe store?" he asked curiously.

"No, I used to back in Forks. Merrell Rainier. Very popular."

Edward smiled.

"They had all kinds of things. Boots, rain boots, sneakers, Nike AirMax 90's."

"Nice," Edward said, glancing down at his shoes.

I glanced over his outfit. Blue jeans, grey t-shirt with some logo I didn't recognize and a faded blue Cubs baseball cap on his head.

Edward suddenly looked up and met my gaze. I blushed, having been caught checking him out.

I nodded, suddenly feeling nervous.

"Well, uh, I'll let you get back to work," I said, looking everywhere but at his eyes. "I don't want to keep you from, you know, reading or whatever."

His lips curled into a gentle crooked smile. "You're not keeping me from anything," he said. "Do you need help finding something?"

I swallowed thickly and turned towards the shelves.

"It's a little confusing here," he continued as he moved towards me. "A lot of the books are roughly sorted by topic, some by author, some by genre."

I nodded, feeling my cheeks grow warmer as he grew closer. "Um… Vonnegut," I said without thinking.

"Right. Weapon of choice," Edward said with another chuckle. And then he led me towards the back into the Fiction section.

I watched him for a moment while his eyes drifted purposefully around the books. On his hip he had a small metal engraved nametag that read _Edward Cullen, the Den Bookstore_. It looked kind of expensive… personal.

Or maybe I was just more used to the generic plastic and sharpie nametags.

"Been working here long?" I asked in a low voice.

His mouth twitched into an amused smile. "Sorta."

I nodded.

"I started working here when I was around sixteen," he added. "My mom owns the store."

"Oh," I said. I tried to hide my surprise. "Cool."

"Which Kurt Vonnegut book were you looking for?"

"Um, Slapstick."

He reached up and pulled a small, battered copy down from a top shelf.

A line of skin peeked out from beneath his t-shirt, just above the waistband of his underwear, and the sight of it sent a flutter through my stomach. I couldn't stop my eyes from roaming over his exposed hip and then up the line of his back to his right bicep. His arms looked firm and strong and little bit tanned.

I swallowed thickly before looking back into his face.

"Here." His eyes were downcast and unreadable as he handed me the book.

"Thank you."

A bell from the front of the store suddenly interrupted us.

"Excuse me," Edward said softly before he turned and walked swiftly back towards the front.

I listened to the murmur of voices for a moment before I turned and continued my way through the aisle. I saw a handful of books that I considered buying, and some that I was actually surprised to see in such a modest bookstore.

I settled on buying a couple of classics, ones I didn't already own back home and that I'd like to read here on my spare time.

"Sorry about that," Edward said as he walked back towards me.

I was in the middle of shuffling up a ladder with two books in my hands.

"Need help?"

"Uh…" I blushed again for the fifth time. "Sorry, um, yeah. Can you…?"

I pushed the books into his face.

He laughed and took them from me before helping me down the ladder.

"My mom used to say I have two left feet," I murmured.

"Clumsiness is nothing to be embarrassed about." He handed me back the books.

I glanced up at him. His eyes held mine for a moment, looking warm and thoughtful. It was only then that I noticed a patch of gold and orange in his left iris, which was missing in his right.

"Your eyes," I whispered softly. "You have some gold in this one." Without thinking I traced a line beneath his left eye with my fingertip.

He blinked twice and looked away.

"Sorry," I said uncertainly.

"For what?"

I didn't answer as I watched Edward climb the ladder.

"Which book were you looking for?"

"The Great Gatsby."

Edward turned to glance at me over his shoulder. "Really?" he asked surprised.

"Yes, really. Believe it or not, I've never read that book."

"I read it in high school."

"Well, your mother owns a bookstore. I don't expect you to understand."

He chuckled as he reached for the book before climbing back down.

"What else you got?" he asked as he reached for the small stack in my hands.

_Slapstick, the Great Gatsby, the Ballad of the Sad Café, _and_ Interview with the Vampire: Vampire Chronicles._

Edward glanced up at me with condescension written all over his face.

"Aw, come on," I argued. "You can't say it's a bad book. No one can say that."

"I didn't say anything," he defended.

"Not with your mouth, but your eyes said it all."

He smirked at me and lifted his chin up, studying me.

I shook my head at him and turned back towards the front of the store, fighting a smile the whole way.

"It's a good book, Bella," he said from behind me. "I just don't think it's worth owning. That's all."

I didn't respond.

"There are plenty of other books in here that you'd probably enjoy more."

"Really, like what?" I challenged.

He thought for a moment, his eyes scanning the shelves. "Dune."

"I've seen the movie."

"Fahrenheit 451."

"Are you some kind of science fiction nerd?"

"Have you read it?" he shot back.

"Well… no."

He reached for the book on the desk, the book he had been reading when I walked in, and handed it to me.

I glanced down at the used cover. An image of yellow and orange flames with the title _Fahrenheit 451_ stared back at me.

"You can borrow it," he said. And then he turned and started ringing up my books.

I watched him mark the books in a logbook and then use an old register. And then he reached beneath a side desk and pulled out a small folded canvas tote bag. It was plain and cute with just their small logo on the bottom right corner.

"Thank you," I said appreciatively once he handed it to me.

"Sure," he responded.

"So… how's your week been?" I asked. I didn't really want to leave yet.

"Fine. Busy."

"How's baseball going?"

"Great. We've won our past few games."

"Nice. How often do you play?"

"A few times a week."

I nodded.

"How about you? How's school?" he asked.

I chuckled at the formality of our conversation.

"Fine," I answered. "I've actually been spending a lot of my time looking for a job. Last week I applied everywhere."

"Not everywhere," Edward said with a pointed look.

"Well, almost everywhere. I'm hoping to get a call soon. Financial aid can only pay for so much."

"True. And living at the dorms must put a dent in your check."

"It really does. Its so expensive."

Edward nodded, agreeing with me.

"Well, I've gotta go. More places to apply to."

"Alright," he laughed. "See you later then."

I took one more lingering look at Edward standing behind the front desk before I turned and pushed through the front door.

As I walked slowly back towards Northwestern's housing structures I checked my cell phone and realized I had two missed calls. Both had left voicemails. One was from Royce, and the other was from Century Evanston Theatre.

I called the theatre's number back and was asked to come in for an interview in a couple of hours.

"I have an interview," I said quietly to myself.

I scanned through my phone and sent out a text to Rosalie.

_I got an interview._ –Bella

_Oh yeah! Where at?_ –Rose

_Century Evanston Theatre_ –Bella

_Grossss_ –Rose

_Thanks_ –Bella

_It'll be fine. ;)_ –Rose

_Where r u?_ –Bella

_Down the street with a friend. Be home soon._ –Rose

_My interview is in 2 hours. I'm getting ready now._ –Bella

I was walking as quickly as I could back towards the dorms, already trying to match up an outfit in my head. Black jeans, one of Rosalie's tops and my gray blazer will have to do.

_Call me when it's over._ –Rose

_Good luck. You'll do fine._ –Rose

_Thank u_ –Bella

_:-*_ -Rose

I showered and dressed quickly. I pulled my hair up into a neat knot and then added some thin liquid eyeliner to my eyes and some poppy red lipstick. Running to my tiny-shared closet, I pulled out one of Rosalie's flowy white tunics before yanking on my jeans and blazer. And then I pulled on my black and white saddle shoes, the only nice-ish pair I own.

The walk to the theatre took me only about twenty minutes, so I spent the remainder of my fifteen, pacing and smoking a cigarette. Once I was done, I made a quick trip to the restroom, washed my hands and added some scented lotion that I found at the bottom of my backpack.

I was nervous, and as I gazed at my reflection, I could already see the blush creep up my cheeks.

I sighed.

"You're fine," I told myself. "Relax. You need this job."

I swallowed thickly and made my way to the front desk.

The theatre was big and obviously a place for students to go. There was a section with a bar and another section with an arcade. I sighed, but knew that my luck wouldn't get much better than this.

The interview went by fairly painless. A man named Sam, who I assumed would be my supervisor, interviewed me. He asked me questions about my work ethic, what I would do in a crisis, how I would get my colleagues back on track if they were slacking on the job. I answered to the best of my ability with a smile on my face while I tried to seem professional and humble at the same time.

He asked me about school and time and where I lived. He asked about transportation, my personal life, any children. My answers came very quickly and I eagerly told him that I was ready for anything he would give me. He asked to see my school schedule and I giggled happily when I realized I had it tucked in my sketchbook.

I reached for my backpack and pulled out the slip.

"You like to draw?" Sam asked, eyeing my book.

"I do," I said as a warm blush crept up my face.

He smiled, seeing my slight embarrassment and refrained from asking me anything more about my art.

I handed over my class schedule and then he proceeded to ask me about hours I'd have to work. I agreed to everything.

"Well, Ms. Swan. This all looks great," he said enthusiastically. "When can you start?"

"Now," I laughed with a wave of my hand.

"Great. We will be in touch. Expect a call tomorrow."

I gave him a wide smile and a firm handshake.

"Let me show you around the place," Sam Uley offered with a wave of his hand.

I got up and followed him to the back of the theatre, to the employee room. He showed me where the lockers were and introduced me to a few people who were working. He talked about the snack bar and when to take someone's ticket before letting them into a theatre room. He told me that I had to keep my eyes open at all times because many of the college students tend to try and sneak in.

I suppressed a laugh, being as I was always one of those kids growing up.

The entire process took a few hours until Sam finally told me I could go home.

"Expect a call and we can discuss your schedule," Sam said as he walked me to the door.

"Thank you, Sam."

* * *

**Edward Cullen**

"_Hello,"_ Jessica answered.

"What's up? Are you alright?" I responded nervously.

I had just clocked out of work and was heading over to the dorms to see her.

"_Yes, what do you mean?"_

"What do I mean? Jessica you were practically blowing up my phone."

"_Oh, sorry. I just wanted to talk. That's all."_

"What do you mean? You called me eight times."

"_Sorry."_

"Jessica," I groaned, fighting my annoyance. "You knew I was working. You scared the shit out of me."

"_Sorry baby. I just miss you."_

I frowned, contemplating on whether or not I should hang up on her.

"_Are you coming over?"_

"Yeah," I said resigned. "I'm on my way."

"_Don't be angry at me. I just miss you. I want you, Edward."_

I nodded, not responding.

"_So I'll see you soon?"_

"Yeah, I'm getting in the car now."

"_Ok. Drive safe."_

"Bye." I hung up and sat motionless for a moment, starring out past my windshield at nothing in particular.

I drove to Jessica's without listening to music, secretly hoping that I might run into Bella on my way in.

I didn't.

I spent only about an hour in Jessica's room, listening to her and Lauren discuss Tyler and Mike. Apparently Lauren was having trouble trying to decide on who she was more interested in while Jessica helped her out by listing good and bad qualities about each of them.

I felt uncomfortable listening to them dissect my roommates.

"I'm gonna head out," I said, once I couldn't take their consistent arguing any longer.

"Why, baby?" Jessica asked in her whiney tone.

"I have homework and you're busy so I'll just see you tomorrow."

"No, no. Lauren has work in an hour, so just stay with me."

I glanced up and saw that Lauren was eagerly watching the exchange between Jessica and I.

I ran my fingers through Jessica's hair before I leaned down and kissed her nose.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I said softly. "Call me later."

She gave me a pouty face before walking me to the door.

As I made my way down the stairs, I contemplated on whether or not I should stop at Rosalie's room.

On the fifth landing, I paused. Again, the guilty feeling made its way up my back as I hesitated. But I pushed it away and turned down the fifth floor hall.

I knocked, doing my three beat, two beat, five beat on the door. The one I always did when I knocked on Rosalie's door.

"Its open!" Rosalie called from within.

I pushed the door open and glanced around. "Where's Bella?" I asked as I walked in.

"She had an interview today at Century Theatre. Why?"

I shrugged. "Just curious."

"Well, she's still there so I assume she got the job."

I nodded, glancing around the room, my eyes unintentionally lingering on Bella's side.

"So, what's up?" Rose pushed.

"Not much." I took a seat on Rosalie's bed.

I felt too big for the twin size so I sat near the foot and leaned back against the wall. Even sitting slouched across her bed, my legs were still able to hang completely off.

"What are you doing here?" Rosalie asked.

"Just came by to say hi. I was bored."

"Did you have a game today?"

"Na. I play Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays."

Rosalie offered a casual nod before she turned towards her desk.

Her computer was on and she had her iTunes open. I glanced around again, listening to the sounds of their room.

"When did you start listening to Stone Temple Pilots?" I asked in surprise.

"Bella got me into them," Rosalie answered, her eyes still on the screen.

_Interstate Love Song_ was playing softly from her speakers.

Again, I found myself searching Bella's side when Rosalie wasn't looking.

Bella's comforter was white with eyelet lace, the soft kind. It was nice and looked clean. Her pillowcases were a warm tan color, and so was the sheet I could see poking out. My eyes flickered to her desktop. I could see a small stack of old books, a couple belonging to Kurt Vonnegut, Jonathan Safran Foer and Nick Hornby. I smiled at her collection.

"What are you looking at?" Rosalie asked, startling me.

"Nothing," I said, adjusting my baseball cap.

Rosalie's eyes flickered to Bella's desk before she turned her attention back towards her laptop. She began typing away on Facebook.

"How's Jessica?" Rosalie asked.

"Fine. The same, I guess."

"How come you're not up there?"

"I was earlier, but I thought I'd pass by on my way home."

"Oh." Rosalie peeked at me over her shoulder.

I kept my face blank as I watched her.

"Something's up with you," Rosalie stated, matter-of-factly.

"Why does something have to be up? I can't just come visit you anymore? We used to hang out all the time."

Rosalie glared at me suspiciously before turning back to her computer.

I rolled my eyes and was about to sit up when the door pushed open.

My gaze flickered over Bella as she stepped in. A sudden flare of heat filled my stomach and chest as I drank her in. I hadn't realized how eager I was for the sight of her. And what was more shocking was the affect it had on me.

Her hair was up in a knot and she was wearing her gray blazer again.

But it was her face that had my attention. Her lips had a splash of red over them, making them look big and inviting.

"Hi," she greeted, catching sight of me on Rosalie's bed.

I smirked and gave her a nod.

"How did it go?" Rosalie asked, eyeing Bella's shoes.

"Great. I think I got the job, but they're supposed to call me tomorrow to set up my schedule," Bella said enthusiastically.

"Awesome!" Rosalie congratulated.

"I know. They said I'd be working twenty hours a week. Not bad."

"Not bad at all."

I watched Bella remove her backpack before pulling a sketchbook from it. When she did this, her eyes flickered to me, almost self-consciously, like she knew I was watching her.

I looked away.

"Well, I better go," I said, sitting up. I was suddenly feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Already?" Rosalie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You have company, and I don't wanna take up space."

"You're not taking up space," Bella said from her bed.

I turned and watched her kick off her shoes before pulling her hair down from her bun. A lock of pink hair fell in front of her face as she gazed up at me.

The feeling in my stomach grew tighter, making me feel even more uneasy.

"Yeah, stay for a bit," Rose said. "You hungry? I can get something from the caf."

I shrugged and walked back towards Rosalie's bed. I took my seat, leaning my back against the wall on the other side of her small bed again.

Rose gave me an ugly wink before leaving the room.

I chuckled at her silly face.

Once Rosalie was gone, Bella and I were quiet for several minutes.

"So…" I began. "Century Theatre. Not bad."

She shrugged. "You ever go there?"

"Sure. Sometimes."

I watched Bella remove her blazer before turning towards her dresser. She pulled out a t-shirt and then turned towards me.

"I'm gonna change real quick, do you mind?" she asked.

"Should I…?" I moved to get up.

"No, its fine," she said. "Just, you know… don't look. Close your eyes or something."

I smirked and tilted my cap down to cover my face.

I listened as she shuffled around. From where my cap sat, I could see Bella's feet as she moved. She was facing me at first, until her shirt fell in a heap on the ground soon followed by her bra, which was thin and black. And then she turned away.

I was suddenly eager to look at her. I hadn't felt that way about another girl in a while, not since I met Jessica. But knowing that Bella was standing in front of me, half naked, had me gnawing hard on the edge of my tongue. I wanted to see her.

I contemplated my chances of getting caught and then contemplated a smart-ass remark I could use to keep her from getting upset. The debate in my head lasted a millisecond before I decided. I tilted my cap up and took a look.

Bella stood, still completely half naked before me. Her jeans were tight and low on her hips. From where I sat, I could see the soft curve of her back, the line of her spine, the slight texture of her ribcage and the two small dimples just above her tailbone. She sifted slightly as she opened up the t-shirt in front of her and I caught a glimpse of the side of her right breast. Her skin was the color fresh milk and on her left shoulder blade were the dark shapes of her tattoo. She didn't lie when she said it was a bird in a cage, yet her description didn't give it justice. It was beautifully decorated with thin lines and soft shadows. The cage was also surrounded by strands of beads and textured wild flowers. It looked perfect on her.

I saw Bella's head turn slightly and so I dropped my hand letting the cap fall back over my eyes.

"Done," Bella said.

I saw her feet turn towards me as she reached for her bra and shirt.

I tilted my cap up, before adjusting it back on my head.

If I thought it was difficult to keep my eyes off of her before, it was completely impossible now.

I watched her move around, but didn't look away when she caught me staring.

We were quiet the entire time, just looking at each other while Bella moved about, picking things up or putting things away. I was mesmerized by the girl in front me, and I couldn't help wondering what other secrets she had beneath her clothes, behind her eyes.

I glanced at the sketchbook on her bed.

"You draw a lot?" I asked.

Her head popped up, almost startled.

"Some," she answered.

"Mind if I… look?" I pointed to her book.

She snatched it up from her bed, holding it to her chest.

"Yes, I mind," she said nervously. "It's personal… like a diary. You can't just look at someone's diary."

"I'm sorry," I said, holding up my hands. "I was just curious. I'd like to see your drawings some time."

I watched Bella's face falter.

"Rose showed some of your work once. A while ago. You drew the Grinch on a Christmas card you sent her," I laughed.

Bella relaxed as she moved towards me.

"That was ages ago," she said. "I don't draw like that anymore."

She took a seat beside me while flipping through her book.

"Just a peek," she whispered, gazing up at me from beneath her lashes.

I smirked and offered a small nod.

She turned a page and passed her heavy book to me.

I looked down and was instantly met with a pair of eyes starring back at me. It was a woman, maybe in her forties or early fifties. Her expression was sullen as she gazed at me from the corner of her eye. Her hair was short, about shoulder length and wavy. Just by looking at the picture, I could already see the scene before me. She was gazing at me with distrust, her expression full of turmoil and pain and anger. Her body was hunched and defeated, as she stood perched near a window. The light was shining through it, but the environment seemed dark and foggy anyway.

There was something about the woman's face that held my attention. She looked so familiar. It took me a moment to realize who it must be.

Bella's mother.

* * *

**A/N:**

**If i get a lot of reviews, I'll give you guys a quicker update. :D**

**Till next time. xoxo**


	5. Chapter 5: Playing Hooky

**Strange Ingénue**

**A Twilight Fan Fiction**

**By PuppetStrings19**

**Synopsis (Brief):**

**Opposites attract, even in college. To say their story is easy to tell would be a lie, cause where's the fun in that? Their story is somewhat of a slow burn, but there will definitely be some fun along the way.**

**Disclaimer:**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**This story contains underage drug and alcohol use, profanity, discussion of sex and sexually explicit acts. Mature readers only please.**

**This story is Unbeta'ed! Please forgive the occasional grammatical errors. **

* * *

**Chapter 5: Playing Hooky**

**Isabella Swan**

I watched as Edward's fingertip brushed over the white pastel and hard graphite as he studied the picture.

This was a big step for me. It wasn't often that I let someone see my drawings. Only Rosalie… and Jacob.

"What do you think?" I asked. I could feel my nerves tangle in my gut.

"I think…" he began softly. "Its bittersweet."

"Why's that?" I could hear the smile in my voice.

He looked up and met my gaze. "Because it's beautiful even though her face and body are so angry."

I gave him a sad smile. "She's not angry. She's sad."

"Why?" He glanced back down at the drawing in my hands.

"Because I hurt her."

He met my gaze once more and I could see a million questions floating around in them.

But I wouldn't tell him my secrets. Not yet.

I gazed back at him with bold resistance. Whatever troubles I had inside my head… inside my heart, they were between me and my mother.

"You don't want to tell me," he said softly. His gaze was deep, unwavering.

"Stop worrying," I said with a chuckle before I snatched his cap off of his head.

I place it on my own and then giggled when it fell past my eyes. I was trying to brighten his mood, but when I tilted my head back to see his face, he was still slightly frowning.

His eyes held mine, and as the silent seconds between us passed, I began to feel less and less reserved. He was breaking down walls, just by his eyes, and the idea frightened me. I could feel that I was looking at him too long, holding his gaze for too long, but I couldn't look away… and it seemed that neither could he.

For a moment, I felt that we were both trying to say something. Something that maybe words couldn't translate.

I felt my heart rate pick up, a hard thump deep in my chest. I could feel my pulse everywhere, even in my toes and fingertips.

"Bella." His voice was soft, hesitant.

Feet behind the door is what made me force myself to look away.

"I'm baaaaack," Rosalie said in a sing-song voice.

Her arms were full of nachos and fruit.

Edward closed my book and handed it back to me before getting up to help Rosalie.

"You didn't have to do that, Rose," Edward said as he reached for the nachos.

He took a large bite. Obviously he didn't feel too guilty.

"Bella, you're phone," Rosalie suddenly said.

I blinked twice and turned my head towards my bag. Sure enough, my phone was gently vibrating from within my backpack.

"Hello?" I answered.

"_Bella Swan… have you been avoiding my calls?_" Royce responded.

I chuckled. "No. I had another engagement this afternoon."

He laughed.

"I'm sorry I didn't call you back."

_"That's alright. Actually, I was calling to see if you're free this evening."_

My gaze flickered to Edward. He was sitting on Rosalie's bed again, watching me, the full plate of nachos forgotten on his lap.

I cleared my throat and turned away as the blush crept up my cheeks.

"Sure. I'm free."

_"Dinner, seven-thirty. I'm making ravioli."_ I could hear the smile in Royce's voice.

"Sounds great."

_"I'll see you soon, beautiful."_ And then he clicked.

"I better get going," Edward said as soon as I hung up. "I have shit to do." His voice sounded thick and unlike himself.

"But what about your food?" Rosalie frowned.

"I know." He took one more big bite before reaching for an apple. "But I have some homework to get done. I'll see you guys later."

I watched him move quickly towards the door.

"Your hat," I said.

I watched him turn slowly towards me as I pulled his hat from my head. He gazed at me with an unreadable expression before taking his hat from my outstretched hand.

I couldn't help but be confused by his sudden eagerness to get away.

"Bye Bella," he said with a gentle smile.

And then he was gone.

"Date tonight with the King?" Rosalie asked with a smirk.

"Yeah, at seven-thirty."

"Cool. What are you guys gonna do?"

"He invited me over for dinner again." I turned away from Rosalie and placed my sketchbook on my bed.

"I think Edward and Jessica are having problems," Rosalie said in a whisper.

"Really?" I tried to hide the spark of interest that flowed through me. "Why do you say that?"

Rosalie thought for a moment.

"Did he say anything?" I pushed.

"Not necessarily, but… I can just tell. I know him."

I frowned.

"He's usually in a better mood and he usually spends all night with her, but lately he's… I don't know. Acting different."

"Do you think they're fighting?"

"No why?" Rosalie tilted her head, studying me.

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "I… hung out with him recently. Maybe Jessica didn't like that."

"You hung out with Edward _alone_?" Rosalie asked surprised.

I nodded.

"When was this?"

"I don't know, last week. We got coffee together."

"Coffee."

"Yeah, but he seemed, I don't know, uncomfortable. Like he regretted it maybe?"

"Na. He wouldn't have hung out with you if he didn't want to," Rosalie said matter-of-factly.

I shrugged. "So, do you think that maybe that has something to do with whatever it is they're going through?"

Rosalie frowned. "Maybe, but thats if he even told her. Jessica's the jealous type and she can be kind of a bitch. I don't even really know her that well, but already I've seen her feisty side."

I laughed. "I need to get ready."

"What are you gonna wear today?" Rosalie asked excitedly.

I shook my head and began digging through my wardrobe.

Royce arrived a couple of hours later dressed in brown slacks and a white t-shirt. He looked a bit more toned down since the last time I'd seen him, but he looked great nonetheless.

I, on the other hand, dressed up a bit more… courtesy of Rosalie Hale.

"I like your dress," Royce complimented once I'd climbed into his BMW.

I modestly slid my hands down the front of my skirt.

"And I don't usually like plaid," Royce continued. "But that color is lovely on you."

"Thanks… I think?" I laughed around my sudden blush.

He laughed too before offering me a chaste kiss on the cheek.

Royce ended up making cheese ravioli, which was amazing.

"You know," I said around my bite of food. "This would taste a lot better with a glass of white wine." I was very pointedly eyeing his glass.

"Bella," he groaned.

"What? I'm old enough to kiss… but I'm not old enough to drink?"

I got up from my seat and strode slowly over to him. I watched his eyes take in the sway of my hips, and the way I licked my lips. He didn't resist me when I climbed into his lap and didn't complain when I took a gulp from his glass.

"You're bad," he said softly.

I took another big gulp before I turned my attention back to him.

And then his lips were on mine. Forceful and hungry. I kissed him back eagerly, savoring the taste of the crisp wine on his tongue and the feel of his smooth chin against mine.

This was only my second date with Royce, so when he ground his hips and prominent erection suggestively against me, I pulled away hesitantly.

"I want you," he groaned against my mouth.

I sighed and turned my face away from him. I had meant for the maneuver to be dismissive, however, Royce took it as an opportunity to suck roughly on my neck and collarbone.

"Royce," I whimpered.

"What is it?" he moaned softly.

His once rough sucking turned into feather light kisses against my flesh and I found myself grinding back against him, eagerly seeking friction and more. More of anything he would give me.

My mind was in a daze when he sucked my lips and tongue back into his mouth before he quickly carried me over to his bedroom. And once I was on my back with my legs spread wide before him, I had to make a snap decision. Should I do this? Should I give in, or can I resist it? Should I resist it?

Royce's hands slid up my bare thighs, all the way to my center where he palmed me through my underwear. I hadn't been with a man in quite a while. Not since Jacob Black. And now that I had Royce above me and I was reminded of what it felt like to be wanted, to be touched this way by a man, I couldn't resist.

I felt Royce circle his thump over my clit, forcing a spasm to run up my legs and into my groin. I spread my legs wider as a small cry escaped my lips.

His hand worked me feverishly through my underwear, teasing me until I couldn't take the tedious foreplay any longer.

"Taste me," I moaned into his bedroom. "I want your mouth on me."

Royce sucked wet paths up my thighs before my damp panties finally hit the floor. And then his mouth was on me again.

I cried out when Royce's warm tongue slid roughly through my folds. He worked me into oblivion using his hands and tongue, pulling every technique from the book to make me cum. And he did, twice, before he fucked me.

The next few days passed with sleepless nights. I was stressed because of the workload my classes had given me and because Century Theatre never called me back.

I was also hating myself because I couldn't stop thinking about Edward Cullen. I wanted to see him, talk to him. Just… hang out with him. But I ignored those feelings and buried myself in homework and Royce's presence.

Royce was sweet and kind and he seemed to like me a lot. At first I had been a little hesitant about him, especial after Rosalie had given me the third-degree because of our age difference, but the more I saw him, the more I craved his company and the company of his lips.

But still… Edward never strayed too far from my mind.

I knew he had been around the dorms because I had run into Jessica a few times and had to listen to her gush about something Edward had got her or a date they had went on.

I guessed he was keeping her busy lately.

On Tuesday, on campus, I came across Edward and Jessica walking through the English building. I was quite a ways behind them, but even from that distance I saw Jessica try to tackle him in the hall like a cat in heat. She forced herself up against him, her hands in his hair as she pulled him down in a deep kiss.

The sight of them together made my stomach turn.

It was Thursday and I was walking out of the main building, after deciding to skip my Econ class for a day out in the sun by Lake Michigan, when I suddenly saw Edward hurrying towards the science building.

On impulse, I called out his name.

"Edward!"

He paused and turned his head towards me, a broad smile spreading across his face when he caught sight of me standing at the top of the stairs.

I felt my smile mirror his.

Without hesitation, he darted up the steps, taking them two at a time until he reached me.

"Hey," he said once I was less than a foot from him.

I gazed at him, taking in his messy auburn hair, his clear green eyes, his scratchy chin. The sight of him made me feel slightly dazed.

He must have noticed his close proximity because he suddenly took a step down.

"Where are you running off to?" I asked.

"Lab. I'm behind on hours."

"Are you gonna go test some chemicals?" I teased.

"Something like that." He squinted as a cloud shifted away from the sun.

"Well… wanna play hooky? I was gonna grab a cup of coffee and walk over to Lake Michigan to sketch."

He bit his lip contemplating while he glanced around the campus.

I couldn't take my eyes off his mouth. I had never noticed how full his lips were.

"Fine," he said, pretending to be persuaded. "Twist my arm."

I laughed and gave his wrist a gentle twist. "Lets go!"

He followed me down the stairs and away from campus.

We walked side-by-side towards the Unicorn Café, talking about the October weather and what November was likely to bring. I couldn't hold back my excitement about the change in the color of the leaves and the brisk air that would remind me of Forks.

"You don't like the heat?" he asked.

"I really don't," I laughed. "You'd think I would after being stuck in a sunless hole my entire life."

He shrugged. "Its what you like. There's nothing wrong with that."

He bought us two medium black coffees before we set off towards Lake Michigan.

"Why here?" he asked as we approached my unoccupied mound.

"Look around," I answered.

He looked around. From here you could see people running, walking their dogs. You could see boats, the lake, and the landscape.

"The water looks better up close," he offered with a sarcastic twist of his eyebrow.

"Its looks beautiful from here too," I responded.

I turned and made myself comfortable before pulling out my sketchbook and pens. From the corner of my eye, I could see him watching me flip through various pages, as I looked for a blank one.

As I flipped, I came across the page that had various angles of Edward's eyes. I felt my heart stutter with anxiety as I quickly flipped the page.

"What's that?" Edward suddenly asked, reaching to pause my hand.

I jerked away from him, hiding my anxiety with a devilish smirk.

"Diary, remember?" I said. "You can't just peek in whenever you want."

"Sorry," he said turning away. "I forgot."

I leaned back against the tree as I started doodling, and he did the same. I watched him pull his books from his bag before getting started on some project logs.

"What's that?" I asked after a few moments of silence.

"Its my lab work. I figure I might as well get it done now."

I nodded and took a sip of my coffee before pulling out my pack of cigarettes.

"Want one?" she asked, catching Edward's eye.

He hesitated before reaching for one and lighting up.

"Do you have work today?" I asked.

"Nope," he said as he blew out a cloud of smoke. "But I have a game at 2." He offered me a small wink.

I smiled, scrutinizing his face. My eyes flowed over him, taking in every detail.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," I said, looking away.

I turned back to my book and started to draw. The shape of his head came first, then his large hand as he held the cigarette to his mouth. Next I added detail to his brow, the dark shadows that covered his eyelashes, the texture of his hair, and his hard jaw. I smirked at my quick sketch. I couldn't get every detail, but I got enough to capture the moment.

I could feel his eyes on me, eagerly trying to get a glimpse of what I was drawing, but I kept my book tilted away from his line of sight.

* * *

**Edward Cullen**

I watched Bella's hand move effortlessly across her page as she continued to draw. She had a smirk on her face, as if smiling from some inside joke I wasn't aware of. The sight of that smile made me smile in return.

I watched her for a moment longer before I reached for my phone.

"Want some music?" I asked.

She nodded eagerly.

I chose a rock playlist before setting my phone down between us. And then I turned back to my homework.

We spent a couple of hours sitting there, working and listening to music. We didn't speak much, nor did we feel the need to.

It was strange for me. It wasn't often that I was able to enjoy this kind of peace with girl. As if our very presence was enough to fill the silence.

Jessica always made it a point to talk. If she wasn't talking then I was supposed to talk. She always made it seem as if it was wrong not to. As if talking was the basis of our relationship.

I slid further down the tree until I was lying on my back with my head resting on my school bag. I didn't feel like working anymore, so I just laid there, listening to Bella's pen scratch against her paper. The sound mirrored the beat to the Arctic Monkey's song.

As the soon grew higher in the sky, I finally decided I should check the time.

It was already almost one, so I knew it was about time to say goodbye to Bella.

"Hey," I said, interrupting her. "I need to head home to grab some of my equipment for the game."

She nodded slowly, but didn't look up.

I sighed. I didn't want to say goodbye yet.

"You can come with me, if you want," I offered. "I'll give you a ride back to the dorms after."

"What time is it?" she asked.

"Twelve-fourty."

She looked up. She studied me for a moment before offering a small nod.

We got up and walked the half-mile back to the campus parking lot.

"I live just outside of Evanston, in Wolcott. Not far," I said as we climbed into my Volvo.

I connected my iPod to the Aux cable before handing it to Bella.

She smiled and took it from me.

"Do you live alone?" she asked before choosing a song by Queens of the Stone Age.

I smirked at her selection.

"Na, I live with two roommates in a three bedroom," I responded. "It's not bad but the rent is cheaper that way."

She nodded. "And working at the bookstore pays for that?"

"I do some entrepreneurial stuff too. Research development for local businesses. Nothing big, but it helps with the rent."

I pulled up to the front of my apartment and parked before putting my pass on the rearview mirror.

"Lets go," I said as I climbed out of the Volvo.

Bella followed me up the front steps and up the long stairs inside.

Entering the apartment, a strong smell of weed hit my nose.

"Shit, sorry about that," I said to Bella as I moved aside to let her in.

She glanced up at me, fighting back a laugh.

"Hey, assholes," I said as I moved towards the living room.

Just as I suspected, Mike and Tyler had ditched class to come home early and get high. They both broke out into a fit of laughter when they caught me in the doorway.

"At least open a fucking window," I said under my breath. "You guys remember Bella, right?"

Without waiting for an answer, I turned and hurried towards my room. I grabbed my duffle bag full of my baseball equipment, and grabbed a fresh jersey and socks.

"This is your room?"

I spun around and caught Bella standing in the doorway watching me.

"Yeah," I said nervously glancing around. It was a mess… to say the least. Clothes, books, and empty beer bottles where scattered about.

"Its nice," Bella said glancing around. "Way nicer than living in the dorms."

I shrugged. "The dorms aren't so bad."

"Yes they are," she laughed.

I watched her move towards my guitar. She slid her fingertips gently over the strings before she turned to peek at me over her shoulder.

Her presence made me nervous. "How come you're not a fine arts major?" I asked, breaking the silence.

She rubbed her fingers together, as if to say 'money.'

"But teaching or being a writer is a better idea?" I asked skeptically.

She sighed and moved towards my bed.

"I wanted to try to figure something out, a way to be an artist and get paid for doing it…" she plopped down on my bed before falling onto her back. "But the thing is, I do it for me. I don't want to do it for someone else."

I took a seat beside her.

"What about design or, I don't know. Graphic design?"

She frowned. "Computers, fake illustrations."

"Its not just about illustrations, Bella. Being a graphic designer is like being a… nonverbal communicator. You can communicate things through design, visually. Be a problem solver."

Her eyes flickered to me. "Yeah, that doesn't sound so bad."

"Maybe you should give it a shot. Do some research," I said as I lowered myself down beside her.

We were both laying now, side by side on our backs with our heads turned to face each other.

The sun was flowing through the blinds on my window, casting shadows and rays across her face and chest.

Her happy, content expression from this afternoon was long gone. All that lingered now was a slight frown that caused a small wrinkle to appear between her eyebrows.

I reached up and pushed a lock of hair away from her face, but as I did this, her hand reached up. Very carefully she traced her fingertips along my wrist before very slowly caressing a path towards my elbow.

"Bella," I murmured softly.

I swallowed deeply, fighting hard to look away. But I couldn't.

I watched her large brown eyes dart over my face before she suddenly looked away.

"I have a date with Royce tonight," she said. Her tone was stiff and unenthusiastic.

"Is… that a good thing?" I asked uncertainly.

"Sure. I mean, I like him."

I sat up. "Are you guys exclusive?"

"No not really," she said as she sat up. "We just like, you know, hanging out and stuff."

Bella smirked before bumping my shoulder with hers, further implying her sexual innuendo.

"Cool," I said dismissively. I didn't really want to talk about Bella and her 'engagements.'

"I think you'd like him," Bella continued. "He likes some pretty good music and he plays baseball too."

I nodded before turning to gather up the rest of my gear.

"I told him you play baseball and he said we should go to one of your games some time."

"Yeah you should," I responded. "Hey, did Century Theatre ever call you back?"

I watched Bella's face fall from the sudden change in conversation.

"No," she answered slowly. "I guess they didn't want me after all."

I grimaced. I was sure they would have called her back. From what it had seemed, things had gone well in her interview.

"Have you tried any other places?" I asked.

She shook her head.

And then I had a sudden inspiration.

"Hey," I said airily. "You know, my mom is looking for a part timer. I mean, you wouldn't be getting paid too much. Maybe like, nine bucks an hour, but its pocket money and you'll only be working a few days a week."

Bella's eyes went wide as she studied me. "Are you serious?"

"Sure," I shrugged. "I'll talk to her."

"About working at the Den Bookstore," Bella clarified.

"A few times a week," I nodded.

"Edward," she gushed. "Are you really serious?"

I laughed. "Yeah, I mean, you need a job. My mom needs someone part time she can trust. I mean, I trust you."

I watched her face warm from my words. "Thanks for this."

"Let's go," I chuckled. "I'm gonna be late."

* * *

**A/N:**

**I hope you all had a lovely holiday. Sorry I took so late to update.**

**Till next time. xoxo**


	6. Chapter 6: New Job

**Strange Ingénue**

**A Twilight Fan Fiction**

**By PuppetStrings19**

**Synopsis (Brief):**

**Opposites attract, even in college. To say their story is easy to tell would be a lie, cause where's the fun in that? Their story is somewhat of a slow burn, but there will definitely be some fun along the way.**

**Disclaimer:**

**All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**This story contains underage drug and alcohol use, profanity, discussion of sex and sexually explicit acts. Mature readers only please.**

**This story is Unbeta'ed! Please forgive the occasional grammatical errors. **

* * *

**Chapter 6: New Job**

**Edward Cullen**

"Leaving already?" Mike asked as Bella and I headed for the front door.

"I have a game in twenty minutes," I clarified.

I watched Mike's bloodshot eyes drift slowly between Bella and I.

"Bella, you can stay if you want," Mike continued. "Tyler and I are just gonna watch a movie or somethin'."

I didn't miss the way Tyler's eyes roamed greedily over Bella. She was wearing a thin white t-shirt and a pair of snug jeans with a green cargo jacket. Her usual attire. But even so, I could tell she had a way of attracting men. Even my friends.

Bella flipped her hair over one shoulder while sifting her weight from foot to foot. I could tell she noticed Tyler's wandering eyes.

"Thanks, but I'm gonna head back to the dorms," she said. "It was nice seeing you guys though."

I turned and opened the front door to let Bella out before me.

"Edward," Mike called out softly from behind me.

I turned.

"What's she doin' here?" He kept his voice very low.

"She's a friend," I whispered back.

"Does Jessica know about this?" He gestured his hand between Bella, who was waiting for me outside, and myself.

I shook my head.

Mike raised his eyebrows and looked away.

"You're gonna be late," Bella said as we made our way down my stairs.

She was studying the small watch on her inner wrist.

"Its gonna be 2 in fifteen minutes," she continued.

"I guess we better hurry up," I said.

Bella followed me out of the apartment building and towards my car.

Baseball was my favorite time of the day. To me, it was like meditation, a time to think and relax, catch a break from work, from school, from my life. Its a game and its exciting. There's a focus of energy on the game, and I'm the pitcher. I do what I can to get the ball flying past the batter in a strike.

And my team… they're like my family away from home.

I've been playing baseball since I was kid. I used to play in the streets with some kids in my neighborhood, until I finally tried out for the team in my junior high. I was good at it and I had a love for it that grew every moment that I played.

"Edward," Jasper called out from my right.

Jasper was now our new Left Fielder.

"What's up?" I asked as I made my way towards the dugout to grab my duffle bag.

"A few of us are getting a beer tonight."

"Cool."

"You in?"

"Na, man. I'm meeting up with my girl," I responded with a shrug.

"Bring her along," Jasper suggested. "And tell her to bring that cute blonde she's always hanging out with."

I laughed. "Alright. I'll see what I can do."

After I got home and took my much needed shower, I decided to call my mother, Esme. I hadn't forgotten about my promise to Bella. Working at the Den would be a good opportunity for her, even if she wasn't getting paid too much. And it would be nice to have some company as well.

_"Hello?"_ My mother's voice was practically drowned out by a rumble of sound coming from the receiver.

"Hey," I responded.

_"Edward!"_ she gushed. _"Baby! How are you? I haven't seen you in months, my love."_

"Yeah, I've been busy with school and work and stuff."

_"How's the Den? Is your dad helping you out?"_

"Yeah, he's there way more than I am. How are you doing?"

_"Good, baby. I've just been busy with work and I have these clients that are just… ugh! Anyway, when are you coming to visit me?"_

"Soon, mom," I answered gingerly. "But anyway, about the Den. I wanted to ask if you're still interested in hiring?"

_"Have you talked to Carlisle about this?"_

"No. Its your bookstore. Not his." I tried to keep my tone clean and even. I didn't like talking about Carlisle.

_"Oh. Okay,"_ she said gently. _"Yes, I am still interested. Have you found someone?"_

"There's a girl I met. Actually, she's Rosalie's friend. Bella Swan."

_"Bella Swan? The girl from Forks?"_

"Yeah, she goes to Northwestern."

_"Wow…" _My mom drew out the word._ "Rose didn't tell me that Bella Swan transferred to Northwestern."_

I laughed. "Well, she wants to apply at the Den. What do you think?"

_"I don't know Edward, I've never met her before." _She paused._ "What do you think?"_

"I think… I mean, I like her and she's Rosalie's friend. She's cool and she seems capable."

_"How long have you known this girl?"_

I grimaced. "She can start off working my shifts, that'll give me a chance to see if she's reliable. And I can send you a scanned pdf of her resume and some references."

_"We also have a camera," _Esme continued. "_Keep it charged, just in case if things go missing."_

"Mom, I don't think she's a klepto," I laughed.

_"I know,"_ Esme giggled. She was obviously a little embarrassed too. _"But its my bookstore and its so modest. I just don't want anyone taking advantage."_

"I get it."

_"Send me her resume and her references as soon as you can, baby," _my mom continued._ "I love you."_

"Love you too."

I decided to cancel on Jasper and the guys to spend some time with Jessica. Also, because I wanted to stop by Bella's room to get her information. I knew she had a date that evening, but I hoped I'd be able to catch her before she left.

I dressed quickly in a plain t-shirt and jeans before I drove over to the dorms. By the time I got there, it was already after seven.

I took the stairs two at a time until I got to the fifth floor.

When I reached Rosalie and Bella's door, I did my usual three beat knock. But there was no answer.

I sighed and did it again.

After a moment, I heard some shuffling and then the door clicked open.

"Hey," Bella greeted me before pulling a pair of large headphones off of her head.

She was wearing a thin white muscle shirt and a pair of dark cotton shorts with knee length socks. My mouth instantly went dry from the sight of her.

Her top was practically transparent, showing almost every detail of her bare breasts.

I gulped when I caught myself staring at her hard nipples.

"Sorry," she murmured nervously. I watched her fold her arms over her chest before she turned back towards her bed. "I wasn't expecting company."

"I thought you had a date tonight," I responded while I closed the door behind me.

"I did…"

I watched her climb back into her bed without further explanation.

I glanced around the room. The smell of lavender and freesia and something citrus filled my nose. Bella had a small candle lit on her beside table, and beside it was her opened sketchbook and a pencil. The lighting was dim, the only source coming from the candle and a small table lamp on Rosalie's desk.

"Rose isn't here," Bella said.

My gaze flickered back to her after studying an abandoned pair of jeans on the floor. The same pair she had worn earlier.

"Where is she?" I asked conversationally.

"I'm not sure. She's been pretty secretive lately. She wont tell me who she's seeing."

I felt awkward standing while Bella sat, so I made myself comfortable in Rosalie's desk chair.

"She's probably seeing Emmett," I offered. "She met him at the Keg a few months ago."

"Do you know him?" Bella asked skeptically.

"He's the Catcher on my team."

We both laughed at this.

"Well has Emmett said anything?" Bella asked with a wide smile.

Her excitement caused her to sit up straighter, successfully making the blankets fall past her waist and exposing her breasts to me once again.

My gaze flickered from her chest to her eyes repeatedly.

"Na, but he's cool," I shrugged. "Anyway um, I didn't stop by to see Rose."

Bella tilted her head at me. Her eyes were wide and practically glowing from the candle light. And her hair was up. From where I sat, I could see the many rings that glittered on her left ear and few that glittered on her right.

"I called my mom," I continued. "And I told her about you. She sounded up for it, but I need to send her your information. Do you have a resume and a list of references on you?"

I watched Bella's lips part in a wide smile. I couldn't help but smile back.

"Yeah," she said excitedly.

She got up from her bed and rushed over to her bookcase, where she withdrew a manila envelope.

As she rummaged through the envelope with her back towards me, I caught a glimpse of her tattoo. I figured now was the time to admit I had seen it.

"Your tattoo," I commented.

Bella peeked at me over her shoulder and then her eyes darted down to her left shoulder.

"Yeah," she said softly. And then she turned towards me. "Wanna see it?"

I swallowed down the nervous lump in my throat before offering a quick nod.

Bella placed the manila envelop down before turning away from me. She moved her pony tail to the side and then lifted her shirt, up past her chest and away from her shoulder. The sight of her standing, half naked with her back exposed to me sent a spasm of excitement through groin. But I pushed the sensation away as I stood up.

I approached her slowly before gingerly running my index finger up the detailed cage and around one of the wild flowers. Instantly, Bella's skin broke out in goose bumps. Her skin was warm and smooth and she smelled like citrus and ginger and freesia.

"Did you draw it?" I asked softly.

Her head turned so that she could look at me over her shoulder again.

I was much taller than her, which forced her to draw her chin up to gaze at me.

She nodded.

"Its great," I said. "It suits you."

I watched her lips pull into a small smile. "Thank you."

I moved away from her as she readjusted her shirt before handing me a couple of sheets of paper. One was her resume and the other was a list of names and phone numbers, her references.

"Cool," I said with a nod. "I'll send this over to Esme."

"Tell her I said thanks," Bella added. "I really appreciate this."

"Sure."

"So, I guess you're on your way to see Jessica?"

I nodded with a slight shrug.

"Got some plans?" she continued. I watched her climb back onto her bed.

"Not really," I answered honestly. "But Jessica's been acting kind of weird lately."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. She used to be really easy going. Like, when I had work or school, she didn't really mind my absence. But recently she's been really needy."

Bella nodded slowly.

I looked away and studied a small scrape on my knuckle. I was doing what I could not to ogle her breasts.

"She thinks I'm acting weird," I added.

"Are you?"

I glanced up. "I don't think so."

Bella gazed at me for a moment before adding, "have you told her about us?"

"What do you mean?" I asked confused.

"You know, that we hang out and stuff."

I looked away again. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because she'd be pissed."

"Why? She doesn't like that you have friends that are girls?"

"I don't know, I mean, she gets upset when I hang out with girls without telling her."

"So why don't you tell her?"

I studied Bella's smug expression. For a moment, it felt as if she was challenging me.

"Bella," I said with a frown. "Whenever I hang out with you its not because we planned it. It just… happens. Am I supposed to call my girlfriend and tell her, 'Hey. I just met up with Bella and I'm gonna ditch class. See you later'?"

Bella shrugged.

"I'm not a little boy," I defended.

"But you know that she'd be upset if she knew you were hanging out with me… yet you're doing it anyway."

"Are you saying we shouldn't hang out anymore?" I challenged back.

"No," Bella laughed. "I _want_ to hang out with you."

I turned and headed for the door.

"You know," I said with a smirk. "Candles are hazardous and prohibited in student dorms."

Bella returned my smirk and tilted her head up. "Then do something about it," she said.

I watched her expression shift from playful to something else. She looked at me in a way that she never had before. She held a kind of determination in her stare… and the sight of that look mixed with the intoxicating scent of her room peeked my sudden arousal.

I gave her a small nod before I left.

Once I was out in the open hallway, away from her scent and her presence, I could feel my head clear as if I had just stepped out of thick cloud.

I took a deep breath to steady myself.

"This is wrong," I whispered quietly.

I glanced down at the sheets of paper in my hands before I folded them up and tucked them into my back pocket.

* * *

**Isabella Swan**

I stared silently at my closed bedroom door for a long time. I felt ashamed from the way I had spoken to Edward… and the way I'd looked at him. I had always been aware of the effect I had on men. I appealed to them in a way that some girls didn't. And today, for the first time, I knew that I was beginning to have that effect on Edward.

I shook my head, angry at myself.

"He's taken," I whispered softly. "He has a girlfriend."

I was going to blow it for us. If I let myself flirt with him, I'd definitely ruin our friendship.

The following Monday I received a call from a Ms. Esme Cullen. She introduced herself as the owner of the Den Bookstore, but I recognized her name as Edward's mother. We had a quick on-the-phone interview. She had received my resume that Sunday, thanks to her son, and she was interested to hear about my work ethic and my opinion on books. I told her what I could about myself. I loved to read and loved books. I told her that I had worked at the library in Forks for short time during one summer, so I was familiar with with the way books were usually managed.

I thought the interview had gone well, but considering what happened the last time, I wasn't sure about how to feel this time.

"Edward told me a little about you," Esme added. "He's very fond of you and has faith. He thinks you'll do great at the Den Bookstore."

I smiled. "Really? He said that?"

"Yes, and I trust his opinion. But I have to make sure that I can trust you. My bookstore is very important to me Ms. Swan."

"I understand Ms. Cullen."

"Okay, then. Welcome to the Den! I'll have your name tag shipped over to you this week. Your first shift starts this evening at 2 o'clock. Edward told me your school day ends at noon today."

"Yes, it does," I said with a quick glance at my watch. It was just after one.

"Please feel free to contact me at any time. Edward has all of my information. He will be your supervisor and will be training you while I am away, and Carlisle Cullen will be your manager. I'm sure you will meet him soon."

"Okay. Thank you so much for this opportunity, Ms. Cullen," I added before she hung up.

"Please, call me Esme."

"Okay, Esme, but only if you call me Bella."

We both laughed over the receiver before finally hanging up.

Instead of walking to the dorms to drop off my school bag, I headed over to the Den Bookstore in order to be on time for my first shift.

When I arrived, I caught a glimpse of an older man behind the front glass, balancing a large sign in front of a pile of neatly stacked books.

I walked in with a wide smile on my face.

"Hello. May I help you find something?" The man behind the glass asked with a kind smile.

He had short blonde hair and piercing green eyes. He looked about fifty and in really great shape. I could see his muscles through his pinstriped collared shirt.

"Hi. Um actually, I'm Bella. Bella Swan," I answered uncertainly.

"Ah," the man said with a nod. "Bella. Welcome. I am Carlisle," he said as he offered me his hand.

There was some shuffling from behind one of the aisles before Edward suddenly came into view.

He smiled down at me as he approached.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hi."

"Congratulations. You got the job."

"I did, thanks to you. You're mom told me what you said. I should have listed you on my reference sheet."

Edward chuckled.

I spent the next five hours getting to know the store's inventory and scheduled upcoming events, the ancient cash register, and Carlisle Cullen. He was a nice guy and very sweet, yet I could sense a bit of hostility between him and Edward.

Edward hadn't referred to Carlisle as his father the entire evening, but I couldn't help but wonder if Carlisle was his father. After all, they shared the same last name. As did Esme.

Carlisle left at around seven, leaving me alone with Edward for our 'lunch' break and the remanding three hours of our shift.

"I like it here," I commented quietly as I gazed around and the many shelves.

"Yeah, its nice," Edward agreed.

He was wearing a navy blue thermal and a pair of blue jeans, no hat this time. He looked nice and cozy.

"I like your shirt," I commented.

His eyes flickered down to his thermal before he met my gaze.

"Halloween's coming up," Edward said. "Got any plans?"

"Not really."

"The guys and I are planning on having a party at my place. It starts around 10 and will go on through the night. There will be beer and liquor and stuff, which you're not allowed to drink," he added with a smirk.

I laughed. "Right, right. Thanks for the invitation."

"Sure."

We were quiet while Edward rummaged through a book with numbers and codes.

"You hungry?" he asked suddenly.

I shrugged.

"We have some oranges and a couple of bagels in the back. We don't keep much food here because we have yet to replace the refrigerator."

I laughed. "An orange sounds great."

I watched Edward disappear to the back room before returning with three large oranges and a brown paper bag.

"I can juggle," he said cockily.

"Let me see you juggle."

I watched him put down the paper bag before he gathered two oranges into his right hand and one in his left. Then he threw one of the oranges in his right hand up into the air before throwing the one in his left. He repeated this over and over, juggling the three oranges in the air while I clapped excitedly.

"Shit, shit…" he exclaimed when he started to lose his balance.

And then one smacked hard into the carpet.

We both laughed in unison.

"That one's yours," I said through a fit of giggles.

He shrugged and began pealing the orange that had landed on the floor.

"I wish I could juggle," I added casually. "I'm so uncoordinated. Its not even funny."

"Its actually really easy."

"Not for me."

We ate our oranges and bagels in silence.

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked hesitantly. I kept my eyes down.

"Sure."

"Is Carlisle like… your dad or something?" I chanced a glance up at Edward.

His expression was smooth as he studied his orange wedge.

"You know, cause you guys share a last name," I continued. "I was just wondering."

"Yeah, he's my dad. But my parents divorced a long time ago."

"You don't call him dad anymore."

Edward shook his head. I could tell he didn't want to talk about it anymore.

"My parents are divorced too," I offered.

"Do you get along with both of them?"

I shook my head. "My dad is alright I guess, but my mom…" I trailed off.

"What happened between you guys?" Edward's voice was low and smooth.

It mirrored his expression. His eyes were gentle as he watched me. And as I gazed at him, I wondered if I told him the truth, if he would judge me.

"Its stupid," I chuckled.

"What is?" he pressed.

"I am. I do stupid things sometimes and I make people angry."

Edward nodded slowly, waiting for me to continue. I didn't.

"I'm supposed to see Royce later," I said, chaining the subject. "Can I invite him to your halloween party?"

Edward frowned and looked away. "Sure."

"He wants to meet you and Rosalie."

"Cool."

I could sense his distaste whenever I mentioned Royce, but I ignored it. Edward had a girlfriend after all, so hearing about Royce shouldn't make him uncomfortable.

We spent the remainder of the hour in silence. Edward spent his time reading while I spent my time sketching. I drew him a few times. I couldn't help it. I was sitting to his left in my own little beat-up computer chair and so I had the chance to draw the perfect angle of Edward's profile over and over.

"What are you drawing?" Edward asked when the hour was almost up.

I contemplated telling him.

He watched me for a moment, his green gaze unwavering.

"You," I said.

I watched his brows tug momentarily into a frown.

And then I turned my sketchbook towards him.

His gaze flickered over the many doodles I had drawn over two blank pages. They were all of him. Him leaning, his head back, his head forward, his legs up, his legs down, his head resting on his fist, his Cubs cap on, then off, then on again.

"Wow," Edward said with a lingering sigh. "You're really good."

"You have a good face to draw," I said with a nonchalant shrug. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah."

Edward and I gathered up our belongings from the back room before locking up the store. It was just after ten.

"Need a ride?" Edward asked as we walked down the street. His car was parked along the curb.

"No, that's okay. I can walk."

"Are you sure? I don't mind driving you."

"It's fine," I said with a smile.

I shrugged my backpack higher up my back before offering a quick wave.

"See you tomorrow?" I asked.

"Yeah. Two o'clock."

I gave Edward a small nod before turning and going on my way.

Being in Evanston at night was actually pretty beautiful. The street lamps were on and the lights from the many buildings were twinkling happily. I could even see the stars.

I made it about half a block before a shiny Volvo pulled up beside me.

"I'm sorry," Edward said as he pulled up to the curb. "I just don't feel comfortable letting you walk home alone this late."

I smirked.

"Either you get in the car, or I park and walk you home."

I rolled my eyes before climbing into his car.

"Thanks for the ride," I said, once Edward had pulled up to the dorms.

I climbed out of his car without another word.

I did a lot of thinking that weekend. I knew where our friendship stood and I didn't want to do anything stupid to jeopardize it. I had made a lot of mistakes in my past, and all of them had to do with my relationship with men. I didn't want to lose Edward's friendship over my poor judgement.

I walked towards the front door without a second glance behind me. But as I made my way towards the elevator, a dull ache lingered in the pit of my stomach. I missed him already. I wasn't ready to say goodnight.

"Bella!"

I spun around from the sound of his voice. I had just entered the elevator.

The last thing I saw before the doors closed was his wide smile as he jogged towards me.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Till next time. xoxo**


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